Amazons
by Dess-Chan
Summary: A new amazon comes to town and lets Akane and Ranma in on an ancient old secret that will change their lives. Updated to M because the language is pretty strong and I plan to make a few fight scenes get real ugly. Please read and review! :D
1. Meeting Dez

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Ranma ½ but all others are mine!

AN: A different path of events. Instead of the Saffron arch, this happened. It's merely the beginning of the end. Ranma POV.

Amazons

Meeting Dez

"She's coming here!"

"Who Tendo?"

"Dez! She's come to fulfill her promise!"

"WHEN?"

"Within the next week!"

I walked in to see my father and "father-in-law" ,by their ideals not mine, hugging and jumping up and down on the porch.

"What's happenin' pop?"

"Dez is coming!"

"And I should care why?"

"What's going on?"

Akane came in through the gate as our fathers pulled apart and sat down to their shoji game.

"Dez is coming!"

"Yes you've said that. Now what does this mean?"

"She will train you, boy"

I snorted "Me training? Ha! I am already the best. And a girl at that!"

"You laugh now, but Dez is a warrior of her own time. She'd wipe the floor with ya"

"Yeah, and Akane can cook"

"Why you!"

She leapt at me dropping her bag and brandishing her mallet. I stuck my tongue out at her and dodged the large weapon coming towards me.

"Uh, excuse me? Is this the home of Soun and Genma?"

A boy about ten centimeters taller than me walked in the gates carrying a huge pack. Akane dropped her weapon and stared at him. He had golden hair and purple eyes. I didn't like him. He unnerved me. And Akane was all googly eyes at him.

"Yes this is our home."

Tendo-san got up and walked over to the boy. He peered and examined the boys face closely.

"Saotome, come here. Look at his face."

My pop got off his ass and walked over to the boy holding his glasses and squinting at the new arrival. The boy snickered and lifted a strand of his hair covering his forehead. A small scar ran from his eyebrow to his hair line.

"Dez?"

"I though you said Dez was a girl"

"I am"

The boy dropped his pack and pulled out a thermos. Pouring it over his head he became a she. Her body shifted down to eight centimeters taller than me, busty as hell, and long legs. But the golden hair and purple eyes were still obvious.

"Hi, I should properly introduce myself. I am Dez of the Greek Amazons. Please take care of me"

She bowed and looked back up at me a small grin forming on her… incredibly cute face.

"Ranma? Akane?" She looked at us questioningly

Akane shook her head and looked at Dez.

"Yeah?"

"Come at me"

"What?" we both asked

"Come at me. If you intend to be trained I need to see your skill level. Attack."

She stretched her arms and walked around the koi pond. Shaking her shoulders she turned her back to us.

"Best not disappoint her boy"

My father and Tendon-san returned to their game of shoji.

I shrugged, thinking this girl would be nothing. I loosened my shoulders and turned to Akane. We nodded and attacked.

I had the weirdest sense of _déjà vu. It was just like when Akane and I first fought. I couldn't lay a finger on her. Akane had even less of a chance. But together we were able to corner her between the garden walls. _

_I smiled. Easy pickins' now._

_Dez looked me in the eyes and poked me in the forehead. I flew backwards as if she pushed me. I sat up groaning just in time to catch Akane. _

_"Hey now! No one throws Akane like that!"_

_I put Akane down on the porch and threw myself at Dez. _

_"Ah… so she's your weakness!" Her eyes lit up and she flipped towards me landing on my shoulders. _

_"What?"_

_Her feet clutched my neck and she flipped me into the koi pond. _

"Hmmm… a Jusenkyo curse."

"Hey!" my voice rising to its "female" form.

I stood up puling myself out of the cold water and was ready to attack again when her hand flew up.

"Enough. I have seen enough."

"Well I haven't shown enough!"

She ignored me and walked over to my dad.

"Saotome! You have trained your son poorly! And you Tendo! I told you she should have been left with us! Mariko would be ashamed! You did nothing to honor her! After all she sacrificed… " Dez trailed off and cried for a second with our fathers cowering. She wiped her eyes and looked at the two men in front of her.

"Now, where can I stay?" just like that. Find me a room. Do this. Attack. Do that. I hated this girl. No matter how cute she might be… I really hated her. I walked over to Akane.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine." She pushed me away and walked over to Dez bowing.

"With your permission I would like to train under you. You know my mother and there is so much you can teach me."

"Akane," she looked up "I would be happy to train you. You have so much potential, as does Ranma, and if I didn't train you I would not be honoring my family. Or yours. Will you accept my training as well, Ranma?"

She reached a hand out to me. Her eyes softened. Damn! She wasn't cute she was sexy! Her eyes fluttered at me. Even Akane was staring. Dez held her hand and held the other out to me.

"I uh… would be honored"

I walked over and took her hand. She smiled and place Akane's hand into mine. I stared into her chocolate eyes that looked cautiously at me. Dez walked over to our fathers and whispered something to them. They nodded and pointed at us. I blinked and she was next to us again.

"Hate to break the love fest, but could you take me to the Neko Hanten?"

"Uh yeah" I pulled away from Akane's eyes.

"Good. Then let us be off!"

She grabbed both of our hands and leapt off. We landed on the roof across the street.

"You have to teach me that!" Akane's eyes glowed in awe as she looked up to the golden haired girl.

"In good time. Lead the way" she swept her hand over the city and I took off running the roofs.

I turned and saw Dez teaching Akane the proper way to run roofs and how to jump larger distances. She showed Akane the things I learned when I was maybe six. The way to bend your knees, get the proper momentum and then land lightly.

They soon were next to me and then surpassing me. When did Akane get that fast? I tried to catch up but they were in front of the Neko Hanten and walking in the door when I landed.

"Hello? Shān Pú, Kě Lún, Mùsī?"

"Hello? Yes? DEZ?" The old lady came bounding in on her staff.

"Hello Kě Lún" She embraced the old mummy in her arms.

"What brings you to these parts?" she asked pulling away.

"I came to train them" she nudged over to us standing by the door looking and feeling awkward.

"Ello? Dez!" Shampoo came running in and embraced Dez. She pulled away and all three started talking. A string of what first sounded like gibberish slowed down enough so I could pick up a few Chinese words.

"train...?"

"…now"

"too late…!'

I stood there and my eyes widened at "too late" they all noticed and started talking in a new language. One I have never heard before. I poked Akane and we sat down at a front table.

"Hey Shān Pú… where's the…" Mousse came in looking at a list and stopped mid sentence and rushed Dez. His glasses the only thing keeping him from flinging himself out the window.

"Hi Mùsī" she responded, pulling away. He looked at her and shot a punch out.

I knew she would and could dodge it but she didn't. Her head recoiled and she rubbed her jaw.

"I deserve that… sorry" she pulled at scroll from… somewhere on her body. It really did seem to appear outta nowhere. She handed it to him and waved her hand over his face muttering a few words from the unrecognized language. Mousse's eyes clouded over and then cleared.

"Finally! I can see without these accursed glasses!" He pulled them off and tucked them into his robes.

"Now then…" and now all four amazons started talking in the foreign language.

A lot of hand gestures and screaming later stopped and they looked at us. Akane seemed perplexed and she got up peering at them.

"What language is that?"

"See told you Shān Pú! Pay up!" Shampoo reached into her pocket and grudgingly pulled out six purple stones.

"What language is it?" Akane asked again.

"It is an old Amazonian language. It unites all Amazon tribes around the world." Dez replied checking the quality of the stones

"Why do I know it?"

"Because you are one of us Akane." Cologne interjected "Your mother spoke it to you when you were very young"

"Wait? WHAT? I'm not an Amazon!"

"No, you're not a Chinese or Greek one. But you're definitely a Japanese one."

"But… but"

"It okay. Shān Pú know you're confused. We take you to Amazon council and all sorted out."

"Okay look if you don't believe us look on your right shoulder. There should be a mark there the shape of a crescent moon. It's small but it's there."

Akane lifted her sleeve, "But I've had this since I was born."

"So have all of us"

Each in turn lifted their sleeve and showed identical birth marks.

"Actually…" Dez said something in Amazonian and Mousse pulled a bottle of water from his sleeve, opened it and threw it on me.

"Hey! What was that for?"

Dez walked over and lifted my sleeve. A small crescent moon was on my shoulder.

"But why? How?"

"Had you been born a girl, you would have had it. But being a boy and your mother moving away from the Amazon clan you were never accepted to the tribe.

"My mom is an Amazon?"

"She was. That's how your mother and Akane's mother met. They both were Amazons."

"Why did she leave the clan?"

"All will be told in good time."

"Now then," Cologne started "we should be on our way to the training grounds."

"Yes, go home and pack. I will come for you in three hours." She smiled and we walked out the door.

"Now Kě Lún…" Dez's voice drifted off as we jumped to the roof.

"I'll race ya!" Akane looked at me with a wild look in her eyes. She was happy. Truly happy. So was so beautiful.

"Uh… okay"

We lined up and got into position.

"Go!"

We took off running. Akane had gotten a lot faster since the last time we raced. She jumped farther than me now and was barley breaking a sweat. I was now starting to wear a bit. I tried to push myself harder and faster than I ever had. Akane looked back at me, shrugged and sped up.

I finally arrived home and leapt into my window ready to pack. I was knocked back out my window by my pack all ready for me.

"I call bath first!" I heard Akane shout.

"Okay dinner in 30!" shouted Kasumi "Oh, hi Ranma-kun. Having fun?"

"Not… really…"

"Oh my…. What's wrong?"

"Kasumi, did you know you are an Amazon?"

"Oh yes." She lifted her sleeve up and showed the crescent moon. Letting her sleeve drop she turned back to preparing dinner.

"And you Nabiki?" I looked over to the middle sister who sat on the couch reading an economics magazine. She ignored me but lifted her sleeve up showing off the small scar.

"What the fuck?"

"Ranma! Language!" Kasumi gave me a dirty look and went back to preparations. "Here" she held a plate my way "Put that on the table" she was still giving me a dirty look but a small smile formed on her face. On the couch Nabiki sniggered.

"Hi everyone!" Akane was out of the bath and absolutely glowing. She shook her head letting her hair fall in a more mussed up appearance.

"Ranma you have enough time for a bath before dinner."

"K… oh and Kane?" She looked over at me "Your sisters have known that you all are Amazons the whole time"

Her smile fell and she walked over to her oldest sister. Her hands on her hips and her eyes glaring, was nice to see directed at someone else and not me.

"We'll talk about it after dinner. We have reasons why we didn't tell you before. Now help Nabiki set the table"

Akane sighed but started getting plates out. Nabiki joined her and a hushed whisper fell over the trio. Shrugging I walked to the furo and began to undress.

I soaked in the tub a bit mulling everything over.

Dez was… interesting. I liked her enough, I guess. But she had secrets. There was something dark behind her creepy eyes and it made her kinda sad.

I shook the thoughts off and joined everyone at the dinner table.

As soon as I sat down Akane began firing questions.

"How long have you known about this?" She glared at her family and they all smiled slightly at her.

"Mom told me on my fifth birthday. She told Nabiki… I don't know when did she tell you?" Kasumi glanced at her younger sister.

She swallowed her food and cocked her head to the side. "I guess when I was five as well."

I did the simple math in my head. That would mean Akane's mom never made it to her fifth birthday to let her youngest know she was an amazon.

"Why didn't one of you tell me then?" pushed Akane.

"I was six and Kasumi was only seven. What would we really be able to do Akane? We all just lost mom, it wasn't a good time. And if Dez hadn't shown up, you'd never even have known. So shut up and eat your dinner." Snapped Nabiki.

Akane lowered her eyes in shame and started to eat again.

Kasumi sighed and Nabiki's eyes softened. "I'm sorry Kane. It's just been hard and now you're about to leave us for god knows how long. Just tired is all." Nabiki smiled softly and rested a hand on Akane's.

The rest of us all watched in silence. I'm pretty sure Tendo was crying a bit.

"Now then. Let's not be all sad. Mom would want you to train with the amazons. We only have about an hour before you go. Let's enjoy it." And like that, Kasumi's words lightened the room. I quickly finished eating and excused myself to go pack.

I heard some muttering downstairs and peaked down the stairs.

"Ranma! Come see your mom before you go!"

I grinned widely and hopped down the stairs hugging my mom tight.

We joined everyone else back at the table and enjoyed some tea and biscuits.

I was going to miss this. Nabiki cracked a joke and we all laughed. I caught Akane's eye and we smiled to each other. Our own private smile.

"Nadoka! How are you?" Dez burst in.

"Dez! It has been too long!" Mom stood up and hugged her tightly.

Quickly the strange language started again and I just smiled, wishing I knew what was going on.

I watched Akane get up and wander to the dojo and I decided to follow.

"A yen for your thoughts." I prodded.

"Hmmm? Just gonna miss all this. The comfort. The safety. Ranma… I'm scared. There is a past I just found out I have and it's not going to be easy to uncover it all. I have this feeling of looming doom. But I'm glad we're in it together." She smiled brightly and grabbed my hand, holding it softly.

I blushed and looked at her. Maybe we could use this to make things work. It had been a hard few years and I was ready to move forward. My overwhelming urge to kiss her was interrupted when Dez popped her head in.

"Join us love birds. Got to go over a few things."

Akane and I blushed and let go rejoining our family.

Dez pulled out a map and laid it out before us.

"We are here." She stated pointing to our town. "We are going here." She pointed to a symbol on the map, similar to a theta sign. "It is about a two weeks journey with the stops I have in mind. I hope you both packed accordingly." She grinned her little smirky grin and I snorted.

"Something wrong Ranma?" her eyes flashed playfully and rubbed her scar.

"Where did you get the scar?" interjected Akane.

"Ah. Well maybe one of your dads would like to share that story."

My dad smirked and Tendo chuckled.

"Well me and Saotome were walking through the markets and we find this little girl, maybe eight or nine sitting on the corner glaring at the world with this pack on her back. So of course we stop to ask her what's wrong. She tells us she's looking for the Anything Goes School, so we take her back to the old Dojo, were both families lived at the time. Kasumi you were maybe three and Nabiki was just a little thing. Your mom was pregnant with you Akane. And well, Ranma, we didn't yet know you were on the way."

I twisted my lips. And nodded for him to continue.

"So we bring her back and both your moms knew her. I was confused but said nothing. She came in declaring she was going to be the best martial artist in the world and wanted us to train her. Mariko in particular. Your mom was amazing with range weapons girls. Archery, throwing knives, projectiles. You name it. She was one of the best. So Dez wanted to be trained. After about a week she insisted on throwing knives. Mariko would have no part in it. The little fox convinced us to help her. So we started throwing knives. She dodged the first few then started to try to catch them. Saotome and I had a system. We'd take turns, well we messed up and both threw one about the same time. She caught the first and tried to dodge the second but just wasn't fast enough. Cut her right above the eye. I swear we thought we killed her. There was so much blood."

Dez was smiling brightly, excited by it. Her eyes shining and hands clenched. She liked her lips and looked a bit crazed.

"Long story short, Tofu, well his father, patched her up and she's had the scar ever since."

"Well yes. Thank goodness she's alright." Mom said placing her cup down gently. "Mariko and I gave your fathers quite a beating when we found out what they did." She nodded to the four of us and winked at Dez.

"Well," Dez stood up "while I always love catching up on the past, we should be going."

Akane and I rose grabbing our bags off the porch.

Dez bowed to everyone at the table.

"Nadoka, Kasumi, Nabiki, Soun, Genma I will bring back these two stronger than you have ever seen."

She walked over to Akane's mother's shrine and bowed before it.

"Mariko, you would have been so proud of all your daughters especially Akane. I will bring her back a warrior that you would have been proud of. We will not fail again." She lit some incense and said a few words in the Amazonian language. "Let's go"

We walked out, met up with Cologne, Shampoo and Mousse outside the gates and began walking towards the mountains.

And we were on our way.

AN: Well I took into account the reviews I have receive, reread my work and the entire Ranma manga series and this is what I got. I like it better. Have a clearer plan and what's going on and I hope less confusion.

Please read and enjoy!

Dess


	2. Training Grounds

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Ranma ½ but all others are mine!

AN: A different path of events. Instead of the Saffron arch, this happened. It's merely the beginning of the end. Ranma POV.

Amazons

Training Grounds

"Here it is" Dez threw down her pack onto the bright green grass. The sun was setting in the west lighting the trees on fire.

"It's amazing!" Akane dropped hers and held her arms up spinning.

"There's a stream just past those tress, a hot spring to the west and lots of animals to hunt and fauna and fungi to pick. Start unpacking the tents; Shān Pú, Mùsī gather wood. Kě Lún and I will take care of dinner tonight. Dez nodded towards Cologne and they jumped into a tree at least 120 meters tall and disappeared.

"Akane. Akane!" I looked around for her frantically. With her weird unease back home I was worried about her. Possibly more so than usual.

She was lying on the grass her eyes closed. A single ray of setting sunlight pierced the trees and shown on her face. The moon began coming up in the east and her face positively glowed, literally and figuratively. She opened her eyes and sat up looking at me with pure happiness radiating from her.

"Yes?" her voice was clam and soft.

"Uh… sorry to bother you but we need to set up the umm tents."

"Of course." Okay now I was worried. She was being calm. And content and not snapping at me. We finished setting up everyone's tents when Cologne and Dez came back into the clearing carrying two rabbits and a basket full of berries and nuts. Mousse and Shampoo came in from the other direction and began setting up a fire pile.

"Where'd ya get the basket?" I inquired.

"Made it." Dez said nonchalantly as she dumped the food into a pot.

"You what now?"

"I made it. From the grasses about 2 kilometers that way. And I am pleased you noticed something new." She nudged in the general direction she came from.

"Will you teach me?" Akane was next to her in a flash and her eyes were shinning.

"Later. Let us gather around the fire, eat and I will answer any questions. I know you have quiet a few Ranma" she looked at me and smiled. I couldn't help but blush.

Stupid bitch. Why did she know everything I was thinking? All high and mighty! And suckering Akane too! And her being _pleased_ with me! I growled and sat down by the fire as far away from _her_ as possible. I was expecting Akane to sit next to me like at home but she plopped down next to Dez.

"Foods ready." Dez passed bowls around holding the hot thick soup. I glared at her again and took a bite. The favors were amazing! Akane gasped and began to shovel the soup down, as did I.

"Dez, this is amazing!"

"Yeah, a lot better than yours huh, Akane?" I winced waiting for a blow to the head but nothing came. She was sitting closer to Dez and puppy eyes were out.

"Can you teach me?"

"Akane, don't worry by the time I'm done with you, you will be an amazing Amazon. You'll know how to cook, fight, make things, and so much more. I promised your mother that I would teach you the ways of the Amazons and that I shall do" she nodded and got up gathering everyone's bowls. She dumped them into a bucket and wiped her hands.

"Okay, now then what questions do you have?"

"Yeah I got one"

"Okay, Ranma what is it?"

"If my mom's and amazon and I'm an amazon why did Shampoo give me the kiss of marriage and kiss of death?"

"Ah. Well your mom isn't an amazon, anymore. She left the tribe about four months after you were born. Had you been a female you would be an amazon, but since you are male you can't become a part of any amazon tribe until you are ten. Then you are trained by the amazons and officially an amazon by your thirteenth birthday. So I guess, as a girl you would be welcome to all amazon tribes if you show your mark."

"How come we've never noticed it before?" Akane interjected.

"As for the not noticing, it's a little white scar. How often are you really looking at his right shoulder when he's a girl anyways? Plus it looks just like a battle wound."

"Then how come I never noticed mine?" My Akane was back! She sounded pissed and slightly unbelieving of the whole thing.

"Akane, how often do you look at your right shoulder?"

"Well… not really ever but…"

"And there is some speculation that amazons that don't know they are amazons don't have the scar till they are aware. I think that it's just if you aren't looking for it you won't find it. Now then, Ranma back to your question on the Kiss of Marriage and Kiss of Death I will leave that to Shān Pú" she looked over at the Chinese Trio. I'd forgotten they were there.

"Well?" I looked at the girl who had made my life more difficult than needed for the last two years.

"Shān Pú not know Ranma amazon."

"Care to elaborate?" Akane questioned. She was glaring angrily at her and her battle aura, now much stronger, was beginning to rise.

"Shān Pú defeats girl-Ranma, who is wearing gi. Never see amazon mark. Had I seen it, it be honor to be visited by different amazon tribe. When meet boy-Ranma it same. Never knew he was amazon. But since he not amazon Shān Pú would still marry Ranma if honored Dez not get rid of it. Kiss of death means nothing since girl-Ranma amazon."

"You got her to leave me alone?" Wow. Dez might be okay after all.

"Well your engagement is more important."

"What? You got her off my back because of some silly arrangement between our fathers?" Damn! Why was everyone always meddling in my affairs? Why couldn't everyone just wait for me and Akane to go at our own pace?

"It's not just some silly arrangement!" Dez rose up and her battle aura exploded. The Chinese Trio looked amused as if they knew this would happen. Akane looked pissed off at me and terrified of Dez. "It is an honor to be chosen for an amazon that is the daughter of Mariko! You know nothing!" she swept her hand over me and I though she was going to slap me. She turned and jumped up into a tree. There was some rustling of leaves and she was gone.

"Nice going Ranma!" Now Akane was pissed. Her aura slowly rising was some what terrifying. "Dez! Dez!"

"Leave her." Cologne said "She'll be back soon enough. She needs some time, Mariko was very important to her."

Akane calmed down and sat, deflated. I stopped cowering and wiped the sweat from my upper lip.

Damn that bitch was crazy! Akane was just angry, but Dez was psycho! I went over to the bucket of dirty dishes and picked it up.

"Cologne where's the stream?" I could hear it gurgling in the distance but in the dark and unfamiliar woods I didn't want to chance it.

"Mùsī go with him" Cologne replied. Mousse got up and walked over to me glaring into my eyes. He shook his head sighed and began to walk into the woods.

What was his problem? Stupid fucking amazons.

"Hey Mousse wait up!" and chased after the no longer blind boy.

We reached the stream, splashing the icy water into the bowls.

"So… Mousse." He held up a hand.

"Mùsī." He corrected.

"Mùsī, so how come Dez says a few magic words and your have perfect vision?"

He smirked.

"Dez cursed me. On accident of course. I was kind of hitting on her…But after the misunderstanding, she promised she'd find a cure for it. And my eyes aren't perfect, but hells better than they were." He grinned.

"Isn't she kinda dangerous?" While Dez seemed like she could be perfectly normal, she also seemed unnerving.

He mused it over for a moment. "I guess you could say that. She's got a lot going on. Try to go easy on her."

I shrugged and we finished the dishes in silence.

When we came back Akane was sitting by the fire staring at it. I put the dishes away and plopped down next to her.

"Akane? You okay?" she sighed, a single tear running down her cheek.

"I hardly knew her." She whispered

"What? You hardly knew who?"

"I hardly knew my own mother. The only connection I have to her is blood relations and Dez. And even then… Dez" she began to sob "Dez knew her better!" she broke into tears and leaned into me. I took her into my arms and let her soak my shirt.

"Come on lets go to bed" I began to tug her up but she stayed seated.

"It's okay, you go a head. I'm going to wait for Dez"

"You sure? I can wait with you" I looked worriedly at her.

"No it's okay, it's been a long day. Go to bed"

I gave one last look at her and walked over to my tent. I got in and pulled up my blankets and fell asleep.

_~ I was in the woods. Trees covering all sides. It was dark. Very dark. I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. A pale light shone through the trees and I walked deeper trying to find it. _

"_Ranma" a voice called. I tried to pin point a direction but it came at me from all sides. _

"_Hello?"_

"_Ranma" the voice called again. It was soft. Calming. Sorta like Akane's when she was lying in the grass. A figure came from the light. She was a pale woman with midnight black hair and the same purple eyes as Dez. She wore a robe that was constantly changing color and pattern. It was enthralling. On her back twin swords seemed to float, no sign of a sheath was visible. _

"_Who are you?"_

"_I am Jingu Kogo"_

"_Who?"_

"_I am the goddess of fighting"_

"_Goddess? AHAHAHAHAHAHA! Amazons, potions, goddesses, Jusenkyo curses, oh goodie! What else! KAMIS WHAT ELSE WILL YOU THROW AT ME?" _

"_There is no need to shout Ranma. I'm right here. And it's just a dream"_

"_Oh. Brilliant. My dreams tell me they're dreams now."_

"_Ranma. Shut up" she waved her hand at me and I tired to talk but no words came out of my mouth. She smiled sweetly. It was a lot like Dez's. _

"_Now then. I have come to tell you Akane is in grave danger." _

_My eyes widened _

"_But you can save her. Just like you have so many times before. I must warn you, don't come between her and Dez. Dez needs to teach her the ways of the Amazons. Pay attention to Dez. I know you don't like her but she is a good influence. It is your job to protect Akane on her mission. Her mother failed, you cannot let it happen again. The curse must be broken. With that I leave you." She waved her hand again and I felt my voice come back, she then turned to leave._

"_Wait! How will I protect her?"_

"_Love her. More than anyone or thing on this earth. I know you're on your way, but you need to open your heart. Accept that sometimes actions are better than words. That just being near her is enough. You don't always have to be the hero. And sometimes heroes need to be saved themselves. Goodbye my child." She moved towards me and a cool breeze passed over me. She kissed my forehead and touched my right shoulder. It burned for a second and stopped. ~_

I woke the next day with a smile on my face. I got up and dressed in the tight quarters and went outside. A warm breeze washed over the area and the trees seemed to dance and sing. I saw a body sitting by the fire and rushed over hoping it wasn't Akane. The golden hair was a tall-tell sign of that. I turned her over. Damn was she heavy! But saw a boy instead. Oh, so she changed. I forgot to ask her about that last night.

"Dez" I shook the girl… eh boy "Dez" her eyes opened.

"Uggg…" she…he… Dez grabbed his head as if hung over. You'd think I'd be used to pronoun switches with my current condition.

"You okay?" he looked at me and cocked his head.

"Who are you?"

"You're kidding right? It's me Ranma!"

"Nope don't know you." He got up and walked around shaking the stiffness from his body.

"Dez?" Akane came out of her tent "I waited for you last night, but you didn't show up"

He turned and his eyes lit up.

"Hello. Hello. Hi, I'm Devin"

"What?" Akane looked perplexed as the boy slowly moved in on her.

"Yo, Cologne! There's something wrong with Dez"

I heard a snort and then silence. I guess I was on my own.

"So… you come here often?"

"What?"

Devin, 'cause he wasn't Dez, moved closer to Akane, who looked panicked. He smirked. Very much like Dez's smile and grabbed her arm and pulled her closer.

"Hey!" I was moving over to Akane when he picked her up in his arms and crushed his lips against her. I froze. Who the fuck did he think he was?

"Yo!" I marched up to them "who the fuck do you think you are?" I pulled Akane off him and shoved her behind my back. He smirked and winked at Akane who was breathing heavily. He blew her a kiss and walked off into the woods.

"Later"

Well, that was interesting. I wonder if Dez has any siblings. Or was that her? She does have a Jusenkyo curse that turns her into a boy…maybe she was? No she couldn't be. But that smirk and those eyes… I turned to Akane "Are you alright?" her eyes were closed and she ran her fingers along her lips. By kami, she was gorgeous! I leaned towards her my own eyes closing.

"_Open your heart"_ echoed the voice from my dream.

I brushed her hand out of the way and let my lips meet hers.

"I love you Akane…"

I deepened the kiss and pulled her closer to me. She groaned and her leg came up and wrapped around my waist.

"Murf!" I squeaked. Oh man! This was heaven. Please don't be a dream… please don't be a dream… Akane's leg came down and she pulled away from me, her eyes heavy lidded and a small smile played out on her perfect little lips.

"That was amazing…" she fully opened her eyes and saw me. Her eyes widened. "Where's Devin?" she pushed me aside and looked around. "Devin? You tricked me!" she shrieked. I closed my eyes and sighed. So much for my actions.

I fell. She thought I was Devin the whole time? I can't believe it. I got up and walked into the woods. The coolness of the trees relaxed me but… I opened my heart. I took a dive and she wanted Devin?

I felt the uppercut punch to my chin and went flying through the trees landing in a pond. Of course.

I got out of the water and shook my head. I remembered the instructions of where the hot spring was and started towards it.

I saw the flash of golden and noticed Dez sitting in the spring.

"Oh, sorry Dez, I'll come back later."

She opened her eye lazily. "Hmm? It's cool man."

That's when I noticed she was a he.

"Dez."

"Yeah?"

"You're a boy."

"Mhm. We already discussed this."

"You're in hot water and a boy!" did she not get it?

"Yeah, that happens sometimes. It just lasts a tad longer. Ah!" she sighed as she returned to her true form.

I shook my head and closed my eyes splashing myself with some of the hot water shifting back to my male self and walked off.

She was weird. No bout about that.

"Ey! Wait up. I'll come back with you."

We walked back into camp and Akane came running up to us.

"Hey Akane!"

"Hey Ranma. So Dez I was wondering if we could start that training now."

She smiled and nodded. And together they left.

And I sulked. I know my mom would have my head and everyone would laugh at me, but sometimes sulking was the only way to deal with things.

I must have fallen asleep, as I awoke with a start. I stood up quickly, sure that something was ready to attack me…

"Hey Ranma" Dez dropped down out of a tree in front of me. "Akane is getting really good now. Might be able to best you." she grinned. That grin. So much like the goddess, Devin, the amazons. Anger swelled inside of me. I threw a punch her way, which of course she dodged.

"Stay still dammit!" sound familiar? Fuck this girl was infuriating. She giggled as she ducked under my leg when I kicked at her. She let this go on for a few more minutes when she grabbed my fist mid-punch and pulled me towards her.

"What is it?" she batted her eyes and leaned into me. I completely relaxed and then fell flat on my ass. She grinned again and flew up into the trees. I instantly blushed. That bitch! How dare she uh… try… pretend to… leave me hanging like that! I loved Akane sure. But a hot girl who can easily kick your ass about to kiss you and then pull away after the woman you love, who you were making out with doesn't want you. Thought she was kissing some womanizing creep! I got up and dusted myself off. Damn her! For coming here and turning my life upside down! Damn her! For wanting him.

"FUCK YOU BOTH!" I screamed to the trees. I heard birds fly up into the sky. I sighed. Deciding I should get back to camp I turned around and Dez was rocking on her heels and grinning like a loon.

"Want to? I'm sure I could get Akane to agree to it…" my eyes widened and flashes of us appeared before my eyes. "Or maybe just me and Akane. You could watch of course" I groaned. This wasn't good. "Come one" She grabbed my hand and we took off flying through the woods. The forest blurred around me and we were back at camp. And then it began to rain. Of course. Dez shifted taller than me as I shifted even further down.

"Oh, well. Can't be helped" We walked further into camp. Mùsī was holding an umbrella that surprising held everyone underneath it. Cologne looked at Dez and started moving towards her. Dez looked weird. Her, he body seemed ready to change again. And then the rain stopped. Cologne still looked concerned but she held her tongue. "Let's get a fire started. What time is it?" Dez looked into the sky "Oh, only about 11. Okay guys lets warm up then we all go hunting!" She walked over to a bundle of sticks and logs under the trees. They were surprisingly dry as we began to arrange them for a good fire.

"So… how was everyone's morning?" She in her stupid boy form looked like Devin, but also not like him.

"Why do you have a Jusenkyo curse?" I questioned.

"Well, I see. Nice morning huh? It is tradition in my tribe to purposefully dunk your baby into the pool of the opposite sex. This ensures that you can fight with everything around you changing."

"Who's Devin?"

"And where is he?" Akane brightened up.

"Who now?"

"Dev, I think you need to talk to the Amazon Council soon" Cologne interjected

"Dev?"

"Male self. So when I'm a guy call me Dev. And refer to me as a guy."

"Oh… like girl-Ranma called Ranko" Shampoo looked happy, like she'd figured something amazingly hard out.

"Sure. Anyways. What's the matter Kě Lún? Why do we need to hurry? We'll being going to the village and council in two weeks."

"Dev. We need to hurry. I can say no more. I will stay and train them for now but you must go!"

"Don't worry about it" she… he waved his hand and got up. "Let's go hunting. First we need to make weapons!" He wandered off into the forest "Well?" turning around to us. Akane and I got up and walked over to him. "You guys want to come?" he proposed to the Chinese Trio.

"No. We need to discuss some things"

"Kay! Let's move"

We wandered further in and I saw the hot springs againt.

"Dez… Dev can I go change back?"

"Sure… but know that you will be trained as a girl as well."

"Yeah. I just want to be a boy now."

I ran and jumped into the hot spring splashing some out. The shift was instant and I got up and followed my fiancée and current teacher even farther in.

"Okay. Go make a weapon of your choice. Something sharp and with range is best. You have 30 minutes to do that. When complete come back here and your training will begin. Go!"

And we were off.

AN:

Also edited. Living up to my titles I guess….

This is something I was prepared to deal with whenever I write 1st person POV, so understand something!

It's Ranma's POV, so unless Dez is training him and Akane or he is watching them train there will be no Akane training scenes. Imagine it. It doesn't really effect the plot in any way whether we know every little thing they do together so get over it. If there is a move I plan to use later that I want you to know about, guess what? Ya will.

Sorry if I got snarky… kinda :3

Hope this was fun!

Dess


	3. Training Under Dez

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Ranma ½ but all others are mine!

AN: A different path of events. Instead of the Saffron arch, this happened. It's merely the beginning of the end. Ranma POV.

Amazons

The Reason

I had been running for an hour now carrying my makeshift spear. It was strong and a bit too short for me but Dez complimented me on attaching the sharp rock I'd found to it. But her compliments on Akane's weapon were insane…

"Okay, so lets see whatcha got"

"Here" I trust my spear forward and she took it and examined it throwing it up and down her in hands. "Nice!" the vines you found were strong and will keep the obsidian attached. Now Akane lets see yours" Akane pulled out from behind her a bow and several arrows in a quill.

"What the fuck?" Akane and Dez gave me a dirty look as Dez examined the weapon.

"Akane, this is amazing! The craftsman's ship! It makes sense that Mariko is your mother. And the arrows! The feathers are a lovely touch… probably got that from Hoshi…" Dez muttered off still complimenting Akane's weapon.

"How'd you do it?" I looked at Akane incredulously.

"Uh… I made it" She looked angry at my tone towards her. "But how'd I do it I have no clue" she looked to Dez and questioned her with her eyes.

"Your Amazon blood is taking hold. The camp we're in is Amazon land that's why you feel so at home and it amplifies Amazons. Something to do with magic and such. Okay, your weapons look good. It is your job to find us lunch. You have till the sun has passed into the west. That's about three hours. Have fun! Oh and I will be around attacking you at different points in the day so be wary. And you can use your weapons!"

Stupid bitch.

I heard some rustling to my left. I didn't think it was Dez, she would be quieter but I guessed I should check it out. I poked my spear into the bushes and a small rabbit hopped out. I was about to kill it when an arrow came flying in from my right and killed the fluffy creature. Akane, or what I assumed to be her, darted out and grabbed the rabbit taking back off into the forest. Okay… I shrug and headed back on my path trying to find something to impress Dez.

Wait! Why was I trying to impress that damn stupid whore? All she did since she showed up was make my life a living hell! And she was stealing Akane away from me! In my revive I didn't notice the golden flash that now seemed to be surrounding me from all sides.

Fuck!

What the hell what that?

Paranoia was setting in and it felt as if the trees around me were closing in and the gold blur seemed to be moving in closer to me. It darted to me and I leap up not allowing whatever it was to harm me.

"Ommf"

Ommf? Not the sound I was expecting.

There lied a girl, possibly younger than me, definitely smaller. She had long golden curls and rubbed her head shaking them out.

"Uh hello?" I murmur as I move closer.

She stood and I took a step back. Turning to look at me she smirked and her purple eyes flashed.

Okaaaay… this was getting weirder by the second.

"HIYA!" she shrieked and I swear something in my ear burst.

I flinched but replied with a "Hey"

She bounded up to me smiling and rocking on her heels. She squeaked, SQUEAKED and kissed my nose. I fell over. Damn I have got to stop doing that.

"Hiya!" she greeted again, "I'm Darling!" She grinned slightly manically and started dancing. Humming as she pranced about. She stopped suddenly and brought her finger to her lips. "Shhh" she looked at me, and moved closer as if scared. Then her eyes darted back in forth and a slow grin appeared.

"Bye!" and bounded away.

What. The. Fuck.

I smacked my face letting my spear sit next to me. Have I lost my mind? Was that Dez just trying to fuck with me? But it wasn't Dez. It was a younger more insane, more childish girl. A little sister? We were only a few weeks away from the council and maybe a town was nearby.

I sigh and shake my head standing, grabbing my spear on the way.

I was able to find a small family of rabbits before heading back to the camp site.

I got there and watched as Dez helped Akane cook some more rabbit stew.

"Oh, Ranma!" Akane leaped up and pulled me into a hug. "Isn't hunting so much fun?" She grinned, a big open and happy grin and danced around me. Just like Darling did. I gave her a funny look and dropped my rabbits by Dez.

"Very good Ranma. Though it seems we'll be eating rabbit for awhile." She laughed and glanced to Mousse who snarled back jokingly.

I looked at the two and plopped down by the fire. Akane resumed making dinner and began to hum the same thing Darling was humming. I stood abruptly.

"Okay what the hell is going on? Is everyone trying to torment me?" I glared at Dez "Who the fuck is Darling? What is all this Amazon bullshit? When will I know about the mission and the curse? And why did Akane's mom die?" I had a hundred more questions but the looks I was getting shut me up and I sat down.

Dez sighed and looked at the Amazon's. "I guess you both have the right to the answers of all those questions." She mumbled.

Dez sat up and ran her fingers through her hair. Sighing again she looked at me, then Akane then back to me. She opened her mouth and a loud clap of thunder followed by pouring rain was unleashed.

Everyone swore as they ran to their tents trying to stay dry.

I guess the Q&A would wait till tomorrow. I sighed and laid down. Might as well sleep. I was exhausted from the hunt and the encounter with Darling.

Soon the rain quieted to a pitter-patter and I was asleep.

_~I was in the darkness again. But it opened up to a clearing. Much like the one we were staying in but different. There was a different aura or something. A tree stood to the side. It was golden and pink petals fell from it._

_I took a step forward and froze, there was people not too far ahead of me. I don't think they could see me. There was two women, one my mother, the other a woman I didn't recognize holding a small bundle. _

"_Mariko! This is ridiculous! How can you let her live? After what she did? After all she harmed…."_

"_You don't understand Nadoka! I can't just abandon my niece! Regardless of what her MOTHER did. This child is innocent, and I will raise her as one of my own!"_

_I watched as Akane's mom, I figured with the same name she had to be her, hold the child away from my mom. _

"_You are a fool! It has been prophesized! She will be as evil, if not more so than her mother and if you raise her I will not subject my child to this insanity. I will leave the tribe before I let my child be raised in this world you are creating."_

_I noticed my mom put her hand on her stomach. That was…me. I watched my mom sigh and shake her head, walking away from Akane's mom. This was the moment my mom left the amazons. I felt a clench in my heart as she walked off scene. Mariko turned letting me see the child. She was beautiful. Had a glow to her. Her hair was light blond, looked like moonlight. But the child opened her eyes and I saw nothing but darkness._

_They shined pure black as if there was no soul in them. I shivered and the forest was eaten with darkness._

_The glow I saw last time was back. Jingu Kogo once again stood before me. Her robes just as entrancing._

"_Do you understand?"_

"_Not really, but I need to tell Akane about this."_

"_Leave it for now my son, she needs to learn more. Become stronger. You will come to the clearing you saw within the week. There will be a pure white dead tree. Under the ninth root to the left you will see a small box. It will be mostly buried. Open it and you will be given the information you need to stop her."_

"_Stop her?" then it dawned on me. "The child. She caused Markio's death didn't she? She's the one who we mustn't let happen again! It is her we must stop!"_

"_She hasn't done what her mother has…yet. But yes, she did cause Markio's death. And you must stop her. But be weary, she has learned to take on many guises. Some may look familiar. Others will catch you off guard. Please be careful. I don't forget to stop loving her…" she touched my shoulder and faded away.~_

I woke up with a start. It was still dark out. A thin layer of sweat had covered my body and I shivered. I saw the fire flickering and got up planning to sit out with whoever it was.

I walked over and sat across from Cologne. She was poking the dirt with her stick and merely nodded to my existence.

"Something wrong Old Ghoul?"

"You are many years too young to understand boy."

"Try me" I prodded. She sighed and looked at me, her eyes looking through me and into the past.

"I'd once met the Greek amazons. The very tribe that Dez is from. The woman who caused Akane's mother's death was close. A niece by right and title. She was a Greek Amazon that joined the Japanese Amazons when her mother married a Japanese Amazon. He was close to Mariko and thus she called his child her niece."

I interrupted and told my dream to Cologne. She didn't say anything, just nodded and closed her eyes tapping her cane in the dirt. She opened her eyes and looked straight into my eyes this time and continued her tale.

"They called her the Sun Talker. She had hair so brilliant and bright, like the sun. Though Mariko said it looked like moonlight. But she began to sit in the sun all day, her eyes watching it. It would have made most anyone else blind. But not her. Not the Sun Talker. She began having visions and she shared them. Some came true, others didn't but she spent more and more time watching the sun. It melted her brain and scrambled her senses. When she found out she was pregnant that's when she completely went mad. Her husband, the father of her child was murdered. Some say it was her, some say it was an animal."

"An animal? Why would they think that?" I cut in.

Her eyes washed over with deep pain and fear. And she shook. I didn't think she'd tell me. But she did. Her voice wavered and her hands shook as she clenched them together.

"He was ripped apart. His stomach was slashed open; head ripped off, one of his arms was missing. She slept through the whole thing supposedly. But there were talks, talks that she did it. She might not have been lucid at the time but everyone assumed it was her. I now think it was the child's fault. She was pure evil. She'd taken up witch craft. No one would nor could without 'proper' evidence, but the tribe knew it. I had been visiting the tribe for about a year now, learning about news from all Amazons around the world. It was just like the Amazon Council we are heading to now. They are every five years, this year it goes to the Japanese Amazons. But that doesn't matter. What matters is you stop her!"

She became frantic. She bounded over to me and grabbed my shoulders shaking me.

"YOU MUST STOP HER!"

I became stiff with fear and could only nod.

Dez came from her tent rubbing her eyes.

"Sup." She nodded in our direction and wandered off towards the stream.

"Not to break the mood… should someone go after her?" I glanced at Cologne a tad worried she'd throw me now.

"No. She is fine. Go back to sleep. We leave at first light."

And left me to my thoughts.

I sat there for a moment, trying to process it all. It was too much too soon. I sighed and seeing the first rays of the sun start to peak from the tree tops, forwent any hopes of sleep and began to warm up, sparring with no one.

I swung around a round-house kick and something stopped my leg, mid-flight.

Akane stood, her forearm blocking my leg. I pulled my leg back and we fought.

It wasn't very serious, I could see it in her eyes, but as we parried around each other I could see a light that wasn't there.

It was true, after all this time I still never gave her a proper fight. I would regret that, but it seemed like everything would be okay between us now.

We just came to a silent agreement and stopped, both of us panting. Neither of us tried to get the upper hand, just blocking each other's moves.

Really like we had been all along.

Maybe it was the amount of time we'd spent together, maybe it was the dreams, maybe the stress, the amazons, the magic, the secrets and everything else thrown together; but I finally saw how everything went wrong.

I could see it all play before me, when we met, when we met in the furo. Friends. After all this time, we weren't even quite friends.

Just stopping each other from moving forward with one another and with the rest of the world.

This trip would change everything, that I already knew, but maybe we could now make it work.

I wanted to make it work.

"Akane… I…" I was cut off as Dez leapt back into camp.

"Good morning sunshines! Let's break down camp and get a move on!" she smiled brightly and though I was angry, I softened a bit.

Dez was a pain in my ass, cocky, arrogant and could be such a bitch, but she did mean well and there was a pain in her unusual purple eyes.

The Chinese Amazons came from their tents and we quickly broke down camp, ready to move on to the next stage in our journey.

AN: Weeeee!

That was fun. Ranma can be incredibly thoughtful, can't he? :3

Well I hope you enjoyed this. Chapters 4- 13 are completely outlined, aside from dialogue and smaller details it is all worked out. Going to start on that now and I hope to have chapters coming up much more rapidly.

Please review! And comment whether you'd rather I finished the entire story and posted it or put it up chapter by chapter.

A few little notes based on inconstancies:

All questions WILL be answered at some point. When is my own prerogative, so just wait.

Dez is a Mary Sue, I wont lie. She is amazing at what she does and can kick Ranma's ass. But because of that I don't see her as one. Going back through the series, he gets all the breaks. Almost no one can beat him. He always wins in the end, and in many ways he will here too. Dez humbles Ranma a bit so he too can learn. Dez also gives an excuse to make Akane a more powerful character. She has so much potential, but she was made into a fairly weak character. Everyone can kick her ass, boys fall for her left and right (same way with Ranma and Ranko) and part of that is for the silliness of the manga (cause I don't watch the Anime and have no intention to) but part of it just sucks. I am such a feminist and I like to see the main female doing well. If you don't like Dez, well she don't like you either and I don't care. She may not be liked but she is needed and you have to appreciate everything she is doing and trying to do for Ranma and Akane.

On that note, please continue to read Amazons and look forward to a thrilling climax and end!

Happy Reading!

-Dess


	4. Kenmeina Howaitotsurī

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Ranma ½ but all others are mine!

AN: This is a weird one…

Amazons

Kenmeina howaitotsurī

(Wise White Tree)

We moved quickly, only stopping for a few hours to sleep and made it to the next clearing in two days. The white tree loomed over us, but didn't seem to block the sun. The trees on either side had shadows but not the white tree itself. It was like the sunlight just passed through the tree. The noise of the forest from before; the birds and insects, us, it was silent. Like sound could not permeate this magical land. An aura radiated from the tree. Intense wisdom seemed to follow from it. Like if I stayed around it long enough I'd know the secrets of the world.

Dez stepped forward; slipping off her shoes and then began to sing in the Amazonian language. The other amazons, including Akane, also took their shoes off and stood right behind Dez joining in song. The words felt familiar like they were on the tip of my tongue and wouldn't fall. Slowly they all trailed off and stopped.

Dez walked to the tree and sat down. Everyone started to move into the clearing to set up camp. I was about to join them when Cologne stopped me and poked my shoe covered feet with her cane. I nodded and slipped my shoes off and stepped onto the emerald green grass.

Instantly my mind was blown. The grass felt wet and dry and cold and hot. I wasn't sure which it was at any given time or a combination. It was kinda like Jingu Logo's robe. Constant changing of colors and patterns. Not any one thing at one time.

Dez stood and walked back to the group talking in a hushed tone.

"We are on holy land now. We must have a reason to be here, or else it would have been impossible to find. We shall find our purpose and take advantage of our good fortune. I will teach you both how to summon forth your full potential and use it in tight situations, as well as teaching you to cook Akane." She gave her a warm smile and Akane blushed slightly.

"But there are no animals on this land or edible food. So we shall hunt off these lands. Don't worry about tents. It cannot rain here. But I must warn you, make sure you imprint this area in your mind. For if the Kenmeina howaitotsurī decides you are no longer needed it will not show itself to you. Now let us meditate. Kě Lún, Shān Pú, Mùsī if you three wish to join my teaching of them please do. If not, well you know the 'rules' do as you wish." She nodded to the three of them, who then had a silent conversation with their eyes.

"Shān Pú will join. I also need to work on it."

"Very well then. Let's go by the tree."

We all walked to the tree and sat down crossing our legs over each other.

"Now. Breathe in the air. Feel it rush into you, flowing into your blood, through your body, giving you life. Breathe out. The air which is poison to us feeds the life of plants who in turn give us back clean air so we may live. We are together. We are one. Breathe in deeper. Feel yourself melt with this land, with each other, with Gaia. Let the magic of the tree wash over you and tell you her secrets. Close your eyes and summon forth your sprit animal. Let them show you the way to truth and power."

We did as told. Someone started to hum lightly, though I wasn't sure who. I could feel my body growing heavy. A chill ran over my body and my eyes snapped open. I was alone.

A falcon flew into sight and dived towards me landing softly at my feet. It cocked its head to the side and opened its wings showing me the span of them.

I looked at it curiously as it stretched its wings larger before the world was enveloped in darkness.

The moon rose within seconds and the area I was in was bathed in a pale blue light. I stepped forward and saw others.

Myself at various ages, training, fighting to stay alive. I felt a tightness in my chest watching as I was taken from my mother and forced to become the person I am today. Alone, a rouge, never having a home, even with Pop never knowing what it was like to feel the warmth of another human being.

"Hi, I'm Akane. Do you want to be friends?"

Her voice in my head. I fell to my knees and cried. For the first time in over ten years, I cried. The tears I could never shed before, the sorrow that weighed me so; of not having a home, I found it all with her and I knew I would do whatever I had to, to make sure she never felt that way.

"…h…ox…"

I shook my head, wiping the last of my pain from my face.

"th… box"

"THE BOX."

The box?

The box.

The reason we could see the tree. Or a reason anyways.

There was a humming coming from all directions, getting louder and clearer.

The falcon swopped towards me again landing back at my feet. She, for I realized the bird was a she, nodded and hopped on her feet a bit looking up at me. Asking me a question I wasn't quite sure of yet.

I was about to speak when my eyes snapped open and I was back in the field, Dez in front of me, Akane to my right and Shampoo to my left.

Dez smiled lightly.

"Did everyone have a good time?"

A great amount of time had passed. The sun, which hung high in the sky when we came here, was now falling into the west.

"Now, before we hunt and cook, we should talk about what we saw. It is important to keep these experiences always on hand; you never know when it might save you. Akane, would you like to start?" Dez prodded.

Akane blushed slightly but nodded.

"It was like a wave of emotion crashed into me. I was drowning in it." She paused looking at me as if I was going to comment on her swimming, but I stayed silent. "When I came to, I was on a beach. Behind me were beautiful purple mountains and a girl with hair like moonlight stood at the top smiling down at me. It was full of evil and hate. I wanted to cry but an animal, a badger I think, rested her paw on my leg and smiled. It was kinda creepy but brought me great relief. She started to dig in the sand and I joined her. We kept going down deeper and deeper till I saw a flash of silver. I tried to reach in and pick it up but the badger stopped me and then I was back here." She breathed out heavily, as if glad for it to be off her chest.

Dez had a slight look of concern on her face and I studied her intently. She caught my gaze and smiled, cocking her head to the side, her soft golden hair falling over her face.

I blushed bright red. Fucking whore.

"Shān Pú like to go next please." The purple haired Amazon spoke up.

I started to let my mind wander as Shampoo talked about a hummingbird or something. Silver, digging, the box, the answers, Akane, THE BOX! It was always slipping my mind! I knew I had to get it.

The box. The box. The box. I repeated it in my head over and over to not forget it.

I nodded watching Dez, Akane and Shampoo. The box. The box. The box.

Shampoo seemed about to wrap up her story and I tried to keep all thoughts of the box in my head. But as it got close to when I was going to be able to say my piece, the thought was gone. I knew I need to remember something, but I couldn't. I mentally kicked myself in frustration and waited for Dez to ask me to speak.

Instead she got up and nodded for Akane to follow. Akane threw me a quizzical look but leapt up after our teacher.

Shampoo waited half a second before getting up herself and returning to her tribe.

I sat dumfounded. Why couldn't anything make sense? The time of days seemed to slip by, I hadn't seen Akane in what felt like weeks and I wasn't sure even where I fit into this entire situation.

I stood up. No more playing around. I needed something. Answers possibly, but even then I wasn't sure what questions I needed to ask to get the answers I wanted, maybe. My mind was becoming muddled and I tried to clear my head.

I sat back down and tried to focus but the Goddess and Dez and this sudden shift in my life swarmed around in my head like angry bees.

Focus. Focus.

Focus. Friends.

"Do you want to be friends?"

That smile. So sweet and open and friendly.

"Do you want to be friends?"

"Yes. No. I want more. I want you to see me how I see you. I… I think I love you Akane. Want to protect you. Want to be with you always…"

Clarity.

My mind was blank. Free from the chaos around me.

"Ranma." I felt a soft touch and a low whisper. "Come now. It will be okay."

I looked up at the person touching me. Dez. Those sad, intense, weirdly colored eyes.

"Will you help me teach Akane to cook? I'm sure you can learn something as well." A laugh played behind her smile.

I was sure she was up to something. Of all the people I had met in my travels and dealt with for the past year, she was hiding something deep. All I could do was wait it out. I nodded and stood, walking over to Akane holding a knife in her small, unsteady hands as she looked at the food that needed to be cut in front of her.

"Tell her to relax." Dez nudged my foot with her own, and went to the other side of the low fire sitting with the Chinese Amazons.

I gulped and sat next to Akane.

"Hey." I smiled to her and steadied her hand with mine.

"Hi." She whispered nervously.

"It's gonna be okay."

"I'm gonna mess it up somehow! I always do! I just can't cook! It's impossible!" She cried out.

"Not true. You are close to the top of our class. Okay, when you think of cooking what subject do you imagine?"

"What do you mean?"

"Subject. Do you see cooking as an art? Or math? Or what?"

"I just hate it! I can't do it!" Tears started to form in her eyes waiting to fall.

"Science. Chemistry. Okay, instead of thinking you need to make a stew with carrots, parsnips and spices, think of it like chemistry. You need two sliced carrots. Now let's slice the carrots."

I held her hand steady as the sharp blade slid through the orange root in long even strokes. By the second one her hand was steady and I just watched.

"Now, one small parsnip, diced."

She held the knife high above her head as if she was going to hack it to pieces.

"Bring the knife down; the parsnip never did anything to harm you. Okay. Evenly up and down, you barely have to move the knife."

Again I guided her hand feeling the slight warmth beneath the chilled fear. Slowly we diced the parsnip into fairly even chunks.

"Let's put these in the pot and then we'll work on the spices, kay?" I gave her what I hope was my warmest and most reassuring smile as we took the spice rack extended from Mùsī's hand.

"Let's read them first. The stew will be okay. Parsley, rosemary, thyme. Just these three." Removing the three bottles I handed her a small spoon. "Just take ONE spoonful of each and dump it in. Don't hold the bottle over the pot; hold it over the cap so you can catch any that falls."

She carefully did as I said and dumped the last of the three spices into the pot, watching it burble and cook.

"Then we'll clean up, and that's it! You cooked!"

She let out a huge breath but still looked nervous.

"What if I did something wrong and it tastes terrible?" She asked wringing her hands.

"Then we try again tomorrow." Dez piped up. "Though I am sure it will be fine." She smiled and her whole face lit up and seemed to calm Akane down a bit.

We sat and chatted, waiting for the stew to finish. Nothing real important, just silly adventures we'd all had.

Akane didn't want to ladle the food out and covered her face as everyone's bowl was filled. She sat quietly as everyone took a big spoonful and put it in their mouth.

I wasn't expecting much, even with spices, carrot and parsnip stew is not very exciting. It wasn't half bad. Maybe with some venison and an onion it'd be really good!

Akane sat and watched us eat before she began to spoon it into her mouth. Her eyes widened and she looked at the bowl, her eyes almost as big, and gawked.

"Did I seriously make this?" She shrieked out.

Dez smiled her "I know fucking everything smile" and continued to eat her food.

The Chinese trio smiled and nodded and finished their suppers.

"OHMYGOD!" Akane put her bowl down, leapt up and started dancing about the fire laughing and smiling.

Dez chuckled and placed her food down as well and joined in the dance.

Before I could even take another bite, everyone we up dancing around the fire, laughing and enjoying the cool night breeze.

I was pulled up by someone and spun around. Dez started singing in a different language, one that I didn't recognize at all, but her soft voice with the crackle of the fire, the breeze in the trees and the sounds of the night made a beautiful composition and we danced.

Eventually the hype died down and we cleaned up the camp site, said our good nights and retired for the night.

As I settled into my sleeping bag, I heard the soft footsteps of someone coming towards me. I sat up as Akane came down next to me and wrapped her arms around me.

"Thank you, Ranma. I couldn't have done it without you." Her voice was soft and warm and my neck and she squeezed for a second before kissing my cheek quickly and padding off back to her bag.

I sat there dumbfounded for a minute before lying back and smiling up at the stars. The moon was a thin sliver in the sky, much like our Amazon scars. I traced lightly where it would be had my mother not left the tribe only months before my birth.

A hawk or falcon cried out in the distance and I feel into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Giggles woke me up.

My head jerked out of sleep and I sat up yawning and stretching my arms and back.

"Raaaaanmmaaaaa"

I opened one eye looking about, rubbing sleep from the other.

"Raaaaaaaannnnnmmmmmmaaaaaaaaa"

More giggles.

I leapt up, rolling my bag and putting it off to the side, slipping my favorite red shirt on.

I looked around but saw no one.

"Where are ya guys? What's going on?"

Colonge and Shampoo walked into view carrying fire wood with Mùsī right behind them carrying two buckets of water.

"Do you guys know where Akane and Dez are?"

They gave each other a glance and shrugged shaking their heads and starting a fire in the fire pit.

"What the hell…" I muttered under my breath. I started walking towards the edge of the clearing and it was like I couldn't really see out of it. Like a fog was covering the area. I pushed a hand through and found no resistance and keeping Dez's words in mind burned the image of the tree into my head before stepping all the way out.

I was in a more normal looking forest. The lighting was dimmer and every tree cast a shadow. I looked directly behind me and I couldn't see the clearing or the white tree. I focused for a second and it started coming into view. Hearing leaves rustling behind me I turned back around to get a face full of ice water.

I felt the shift take place and let out a light scream.

"Ah! Guys! Was that you? Gah!" I wiped the freezing water from my face and saw two people laugh, slap a high five and run off between the trees.

I smiled and shook my head out.

So they wanted to play, eh? I'll show them!

I took off after them, only being able to hear their giggles to keep track of where they were at.

"Akkkkaaaaaaaneeeeeeeeeeee" I cooed out. "I'm gonna find yoooooou!"

"Not if you can't see me!"

I looked around the voice before I looked up and there she was.

She sat on a branch swinging her legs back and forth smiling like a little monkey. It was the cutest thing I had ever seen.

"I'm gonna get ya monkey girl!" I shouted up to her.

She stuck her tongue out playfully and looked behind me. That's when I noticed her presence.

Dez was on me in seconds. At first she just poked at me. A tap here, a touch there. Her long fingers dancing across my arms and head.

She smiled at me and nodded and then she was throwing full punches at me.

I kept my balance and dodged her punches, feeling the air and force behind each throw.

I barely had time to notice till Akane was next to us. Fighting us both!

Soon the three of us were throwing punches and kicks while dodging them.

I knew Dez could have ended it quickly, but she dragged it out.

She would slow down for a second, making you think you might have the upper hand before *Wham!* she'd speed right back up and you've almost lost your balance.

I'm not sure if I just tripped or if Dez did it, but in a matter of seconds Akane was on the ground and I was on top of her.

Our noses touched for a second and we both blushed.

How many times had we ended up in this same position and something had to come along and ruin it?

I prayed to whoever was listening that just this once nothing would stop us. And maybe this time we would kiss and she wouldn't shove me off thinking I was someone else.

Time froze and we just stared into one another's eyes, not even blinking.

Akane cleared her throat as if ready to speak just as I opened my mouth to say something.

"I…uhhh… you go first." She said nervously.

"Oh… um… it's nothing, if you wanna say something… umm go for it." I shrugged slightly.

She shook her head and closed her eyes for a second taking in a few short breaths.

"Oh hells!" I shouted, "I bet you want me off ya, yea. Wow, my bad Akane." I leapt off her and took a few steps backwards tripping and landing on my ass.

She sat up and giggled. "That wasn't it, exactly… um we should head back to camp, probably or something…" she muttered lowering her head slightly.

"Yea, probably or something…" I agreed.

She stood and came over to me and reached a hand out. I took it and she yanked me to my feet with a strength I didn't even know she had.

"Whoa! Where ya been hiding that?"

"Well I do smash cinder blocks every day, not like they're made of marshmallow or something." She smiled and started running back towards camp.

I stood for a moment, I guess that made sense and took off after her.

After running for a few minutes she grabbed a vine and started clambering up it and disappeared into the trees. I stopped and looked up in shock.

"You coming or what?" she shouted down, that teasing playfulness in her voice.

I chuckled and grabbed the vine pulling myself up to the branch she was standing on.

"Come see. Dez and I were up here this morning, it was amazing."

She started climbing higher into the tree and I nervously looked down for a second before following.

I reached the top and sat down next to her; our heads up above the trees.

It was amazing.

The air was warmer up here and the sun beat down on us. Flocks of birds flew around and the wind carried leaves, seeds and pollen.

It looked at a painter had taken his brush and placed everything just so perfectly. She pointed and we could see a clearing, not the one with the tree but a different one. A mother deer and her faun ran around playing and nibbling the grass.

She closed her eyes for a moment and I followed suit, focusing on the white tree.

To the side I saw it shimmer into view. Dez sitting quietly watching Shampoo and Cologne laugh while Mousse frantically searched his robes for something.

Akane watched them and I watched her. A small smile played across her face and the wind rustled her slightly longer hair.

She took a deep breath in and spread her arms wide, and for a moment it looked as if she would fly off.

I capture her hand and rubbed my thumb in slow circles on her palm.

"Ranma… what are…?"

"Shhh." I held her hand a bit longer before letting go, blushing, embarrassed at how forward I had become.

"We should go back." I stated simply and started slipping down the tree.

"Ranma!" She scoffed and started down after me.

We walked in silence back to the camp keeping a few feet apart.

We stepped into the camp and Dez's face lit up watching us.

She beckoned us over and had us sit with her.

"We are going to meditate again today, now yesterday you delved into yourselves and saw things that I am sure were very emotional. Today we are going to link up mentally and I promise it will be much harder to deal with. Akane, I want you to be emotionally prepared. While I am not sure what we will see, I know it will be hardest for you. Ranma, I want you to stay at her side no matter what. Cologne will sit in with us and be our link back to the physically world. I will try to guide you both to the answers you seek but there will only be so much I can do. Are you both ready?"

I nodded and looked to Akane, her face was ashen and she looked terrified as if she already knew what she was going to see but nodded.

Dez motioned to Cologne and we walked to the tree sitting in a circle as we had before.

Shampoo brought over a pot of tea and some cups and placed it in front of Dez before leaving the field with Mousse.

As they shimmered out of view, Dez poured us each a cup and pulled a small vial from her shirt. She took the bright red liquid and dropped one drop in mine and Akane's, two in hers and three in the Old Ghoul's.

She muttered a few words and our teas seemed to shift. The color stayed the same, but the aura was new, power, dangerous.

She nodded and we all drank down our tea.

Taking Akane's hand, she motioned for us to do the same and we linked hands forming a complete circle.

"Whatever you do, do not let the circle break. It will be our only way back." Nodding again, she and Cologne started to chant.

They were saying different things but it melded together and the world began to blur and spin.

I closed my eyes but still felt as if I was spinning out of control.

When it stopped I opened my eyes.

It was a waste land. Gray rocks and boulders laid everywhere, the sky was gray and large birds flew high through the air.

There was no vegetation as far as I could see, but the air was thick and hazy and felt full as if it was full of smoke.

I turned a full three-sixty and saw Akane standing taking the whole world in herself.

We walked towards each other and hugged upon meeting.

"Well, where too?" She asked pulling away from me, blushing and kicking the dirt.

"Ummm… good question." I was about to take a step forward when I saw a purple ribbon sticking out from the rocks. I pointed it out to Akane and she reached down to pick it up, a folded paper tied to it.

She opened it and gasped.

"What is it?" I asked looking at the seemingly blank page.

She scanned over it and flipped it over and nodded as if it suddenly all made sense.

"What? What's going on?"

She looked at me quizzically. "There's a map and a note from Dez. She says we need to tie the ribbon around our wrists. Can't you see that?"

"I can't see anything. It looks blank to me."

She nodded. "Right! Because I am holding her hand back there, so only she can only communicate with me!" She nodded as if to reassure herself and tied the ribbon to both our wrists. She pulled softly and the ribbon broke in two so we both had one on. She read the paper once more and said a few words carefully, it sounded like the Amazonian one, and the ribbons glowed gold for a moment.

"That's so we can't get to far from each other. She says in her letter that it will keep us safe."

"Safe from what, exactly?"

As if to frighten us a loud wailing noise came from the foggy beyond.

"That…?" Akane asked shakily.

I took her hand in mine and squeezed gently to which she smiled.

"So where to?"

Akane closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, spinning in a circle and stopping her finger pointed out in a direction.

I nodded and we headed off towards where Dez was leading us.

We walked what felt like for hours. It was possibly only minutes, possibly just as long.

Most of the time was spent in silence. Every now and then Akane would check the map and see if we were going the right way.

When we heard the crashing of waves on a cliff she became edgy and nervous. I could feel it too. This looming aura of evil and terror.

We walked carefully, careful not to upset whatever balance there was.

Akane let out a shriek, only feet from the cliffs edge, fell to her knees and grabbed her head.

"NO! Stay out! No, I don't want to know. No…no…no…no…"

I was at her side in an instant and wrapped my arms around her trying to soothe in what way I could.

"Akane, listen to my voice. It will be okay. Tell me. Tell me what you see. I will protect you. I will always protect you."

I rocked with her in my arms as her cries became whimpers.

"Ranma? Ranma! Is she okay?"

I looked up to see Dez running towards us an owl flying behind her.

It confused me, the owl. A dark creature with a bright white face and large amber eyes. The feathers seemed black, but almost purple. Like a midnight sky.

"Summon your animal!" She cried; the owl landing on her shoulder.

"My animal?" I questioned, holding the now shivering Akane tighter in my arms.

"When you first meditated, an animal of some sort came to help you a long right? Remember? Akane talked about a badger and Shān Pú talked about her hummingbird. It's the entire reason I had you do that exercise! To meet your familiar of sorts."

Animal… the falcon!

I focused on her large wing span and sharp talons. Bright eyes and scruffy brown and white feathers.

A screech and she flew down from the sky landing a few feet away, unsure of us. Seeing Dez's owl she moved closer but kept her head to the side, unsure how to handle us.

"Go talk to you bird, boy. Discover her name. Go now. I'll deal with Akane. Shoo!" She grabbed my shoulder and ripped me away from Akane, shoving me a bit roughly towards the still hesitant falcon.

Dez started talking in a low fast whisper to Akane, which seemed to calm her down a bit. Seeing that everything was okay for now I walked towards the bird, MY bird and sat on a rock in front of her.

"Hello." I waved slightly, feeling foolish.

The bird hopped on her feet and moved a bit closer making a weird chirping noise.

"Do you know who I am?" I reached a hand out, tentatively hoping I'd get a response.

She hopped again, made a happy noise and nodded her little feathered head moving next to my hand.

She placed a foot on one of my fingers and wrapped around it her long talons grazing my skin. She smiled, as if a bird could smile, and pulled back and nuzzled her head into my hand.

I extended my hand further and she flew up onto my shoulder.

What the fuck?

I sighed and leaned my head slightly on the bird of prey closing my eyes. Maybe I could sleep within this dream.

I stood carefully as the bird kept her balance digging her claws into my shoulder slightly. I walked back to Akane and Dez to see a happier looking Akane and smiling Dez.

Akane was rubbing the back of what I think was a badger.

"Ranma, meet Kariki. She's my spirit animal." She smiled slightly and rubbed the beast's head as it gurgled and nuzzled into her hand.

"So Ranma, have you and your bird been properly introduced?" Dez asked dancing her fingers on the rocks while her owl watched amused.

"She hasn't told it to me yet."

"Ah, well once you need to know it, I guess you will. The way these things work sometimes."

She leapt up, her owl flying up to her shoulder.

"We ready to leave this land, darlings?" She grinned a silly little grin and started walking towards the cliff.

"Hey! Wait!" I called out. "Come on Akane, let's get outta here." I reached my hand to her, which she took and gave a squeeze as we ran to the Greek Amazon.

"What are we doing here?" Akane asked nervously.

"You know how sometimes the only way to wake up is fall?" Dez smiled, slightly crazed this time and threw herself backwards off the cliff.

She screamed out in glee and waved as we watch her plummet towards the angry green sea.

Akane looked at the now gone Dez and then to me, her eyes huge and horrified.

She pulled the note from her pocket and started to flip it over frantically.

"Well, does it say anything useful?"

She mused it over for a second, "Says the best way to wake up is a shock. There are other ways, but this is the best proven." A sly grin came over her face, as she looked fondly at Kariki who rolled her little badger eyes but nodded. I couldn't even think.

Akane was against me. Her mouth on mine. Her hand holding my head. Fingers in my hair.

Buuuhhh… duhhhh?

My eyes snapped open and we were back in the field, the Kenmeina howaitotsurī looming over us.

Akane's eyes were huge and her face red as she rushed to the camp fire and splashed herself with water.

I sat dumbfounded for a moment, still trying to get my bearings.

"Badger really makes sense now." Dez said passing me, giving me a clap on the shoulder.

Cologne sat in her spot, still in the circle, laughing her shriveled head off.

I sneered at her, standing up about to join everyone else around the fire.

Silver. Box. The box.

Like a wave the information crashed back over me.

Ninth root to the right, silver box, the answer we were looking for.

I broke into a run and saw the faintest of silver poking out from the dirt. Digging frantically I pulled it out. Adorned with phoenixes, dragons and flames, silver, barely larger than my foot and ice cold to the touch.

I held it up, the light reflecting violently off of its shiny enamel.

I brought it slowly to the fire sitting between Dez and Akane, who were enjoying let over stew. Both grew silent and watched as I opened the box.

Only to find a scroll. A bit shorter in length to the small silver box. A silver tinted blue crest kept it closed. I tried to open it but couldn't.

"Ranma, give it to me." Akane spoke up her eyes focused and her voice steady as she reached for it.

I passed her over and as soon as her fingers touched it the seal broke.

Her eyes glazed over the parchment before she cleared her throat and began to read out loud.

"Next to her heart

You'll find the weapon

To undo what was done before

Use it to kill Hate and find a new light"

Great, it was cryptic as fuck.

"Do you know what it means?" I prodded.

"It means I have to kill her."

"Kill who?"

"The one who killed my mother."

AN: I hope this was well worth the wait!

As for the somewhat randomness of the spirit animals:

I was in a training session for a job thing I did last year and we were given a list of animals and certain traits that were "connected" with the animal. As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to integrate them into this story. It just flowed with the magic of it all. Since they spent a lot of time in a spiritual world with the meditation this chapter (that part was already planned out) the animals seemed like a fun thing to bring in. I think everyone has an affinity to an animal in a way. Something they can summon up that holds their greatest strengths. Thinking about it, it sounds like the patronus from Harry Potter, that was not my intention. I hope that it seems very, very different, as it is, and you enjoyed it!

Reasons for the Animals with the Characters:

Akane and Kiriki the Badger: courageous, aggressive, healing and energizing

Dez and Mavican the Owl: deceptive, insightful, informative, detached and wise

Shampoo and Hummingbird (just so she wouldn't be left out, as I have no intention of needing the hummingbird again she needs no name): Pretentious, healing and combative.

Ranma and His Falcon (name will show up later, as I have a plan for that as well): Adventurous, passionate and leading.

Cheers,

Dez


	5. Home

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Ranma ½ but all others are mine!

AN: This is a weird one…

Amazons

Home

We sat stunned for a moment. By "we" I meant everyone but Dez and the surprisingly intense Akane, clutching the scroll in her hands. A moment passed and Akane began to shake, huge streams of tears rolling down her face soaking the parchment.

Cologne came over to Dez and whispered a few words in her ear. Dez nodded and stood clasping hands with Shampoo and Mùsī and hugging the old woman. The three of them got up and left the clearing, their bags and items with them.

She pulled me to the side, keeping her voice low. "They are going ahead to the council. They have other matters to attend. Let's let Akane have a moment to herself." I looked worriedly over my shoulder. "She'll be okay; she just needs to process it all. Let's walk."

We passed through the fog, back into the forest. After what felt like forever of silence, I broke down.

"What's going on exactly? I know you know more than you are letting on. You have to tell me so I can protect her!" My voice began to raise and shake with anger. I wanted a straight answer from her, no more games, and no more hidden riddles upon riddles.

"Kě Lún has told you the story of the Sun Talker, yes?" I nodded and she continued to talk. "The woman than Akane has to kill, is the child of the Sun Talker. Her name is Haru. Haru indeed is the person who cause Mariko's death. She has similar features to her mother. The pale blond hair and the ability to stare at the sun without blindness. But like I am sure Kě Lún has mentioned, the child is evil incarnate. Whether she is possessed by demons or just messed up in the head, she needs to be put down. She has been making attacks on the Amazon's village. Curses, I guess you could say. Poisoned cattle, crops failing, the Council is worried and they need salvation."

Silence ensued. And my anger boiled.

"So… the reason for this trip is so we can fix their fucking problems? Akane is literally going through hell and you are dragging her through it! She has no obligation to you people! You have hidden yourselves from her for years! And now you show up, not even of her tribe to get her to kill some witch demon that you're too much a coward to deal with yourself!"

Dez watched me with a steely gaze till my rant stopped.

She smirked and shook her head, scratching her scar slightly.

"Mariko was one of the proudest Amazons I have ever met. Akane needs to know of her past and I promised Mariko when she came closer to age. It has not been easy for me, for my, no OUR people. Even though Nadoka left before you were born, there is still Amazon blood in you, these are your people as well. As for Haru, only Akane can kill her. There is stronger magic behind this, then you will ever know and you will do everything you can to protect her from other forces, Haru is her problem though, and there is nothing you can do about it. You will stay silent on things you know nothing about, little boy."

I stopped dead in my tracks. I was expecting yelling and crying like last time. Not this cold raw power and controlled rage radiating out from her.

I gulped and lowered my head, continuing to walk along side my teacher.

After about an hour we turned back towards camp, silent the whole way. I couldn't read Dez in the slightest and my thoughts kept me too busy to even want to deal with hers.

Returning to the clearing my first instinct was to check on Akane. I looked to the campfire and panic set in for a moment when I didn't see her there, but relief washed over as I noticed her performing a kata by the white tree. Dez nodded her head in approval and watched her doing the moves herself half heartedly and slowly.

Watching Akane, I finally understood why she wanted to be trained so badly. With her father basically out of commission from her mother's death and no one else in the family in the arts, she wanted a teacher so badly.

In my heart I truly wished I could teach her, but knew that the methods I was raised on were immoral and cruel. I could never put her through that.

Dez joined her moments later and they worked through it again, a bit slower. Focusing on foot placement and speed of each move.

They laughed at something and I felt a tinge of jealousy. I should have been the one teaching her! Standing behind her and guiding her shoulders. Whispering in her ear and getting a giggle and slight blush.

My train of thoughts stopped a moment. Was I seriously that intimidated by Dez? I knew Akane looked up to her and she did look so much like that Devin fellow. Thank god we haven't seen him again.

Dez eventually left Akane, who had taken to the instruction like a bird to air. Her movements were more fluid and stable. She was a quick learner, if I could only be her teacher.

As Dez worked on getting a fire started back up and I moved in closer to Akane. There was a fire and determination in her eyes and at no time had she ever looked more beautiful.

I stood to her right only a foot or so from her when a punch came my way. I dodged it and checked her face to make sure she wasn't pushing herself too hard and needed to sit for awhile.

Then again.

She was trying to hit me. But this time I knew I couldn't just dodge out of the way. She needed this fight. Hell, I needed this fight.

She needed it to prove to herself that she was a warrior, an Amazon. I needed to show that I understood that.

Parries, blocks, swipes, punches, kicks.

Instead of dodging, I would block and retaliate. She was getting good fast. The short time with Dez on proper footing gave her an edge she'd never had before. The basic reason she could never beat Shampoo.

Shampoo had been trained this very young, that grace and speed are more valued in a battle that strength.

And now Akane knew it. Her foot steps were light across the grass and she kept her anger down.

I started to push harder for the both of us. I was pretty sure in an all out brawl I could still take her easily but the improvements were immense.

Even though a part of me hated Dez, I respected her.

My thoughts had to end when a punch almost knocked me off my feet.

Akane was clever too. She started pulling punches when she knew I would block them and started hitting home when she knew she could hit me.

Although I had taken several beatings from Ryoga, a few of Akane's hits were probably gonna leave a mark.

We continued to dance around the field when Dez was suddenly next to us.

If either of us fell, she yanked us back up and threw us back into the fray.

Everything was going well till Akane tried a flip and landed badly on her ankle.

The fight stopped instantly and Dez was at her side.

Akane winced and looked at her already swelling joint.

"Fuck." She muttered, biting her lip and tears swelling in her eyes.

Dez smiled and helped her up, holding her shoulders.

"Ranma, be a dear and find us something we can cook up for dinner. I'm gonna take her to the river so we can ice it a bit."

I nodded as Akane hobbled off with Dez.

I left the field shortly after them in search for something to eat. We still had carrots but the parsnips were gone and so was Mùsī's spice rack.

After a long hour, I found some mustard grass, potatoes and onions.

Another stew for dinner, joy.

I figured Akane and Dez would be back when I returned but they weren't. Slightly worried I sat around for another thirty minutes before going after them.

I wasn't sure exactly where the river was but knew the general direction and started walking.

I saw the river and froze in my tracks.

Akane was kissing someone.

Her arms around their neck, body pressed tightly into theirs. Rage boiled inside of me and marched over and threw whoever it was off of her.

Devin. My eyes narrowed as he smirked and reached for Akane again.

I threw him into the river with a loud splash and went to Akane, grabbing her shoulder.

"What the fuck was that? Where's Dez? What is going on?" I was beyond angry. Angrier than when I realized Ryoga had used my honor against me and was sleeping with Akane as P-Chan.

There was bubbling coming from the river and Akane was in a trance. She had this dopey look on her face and couldn't seem to focus.

I walked to the river and looked in, seeing a body on the river floor.

I reached in as Devin stood up splashing water all over me, triggering the transformation.

"HIYA!"

I recoiled from the shriek and memory clicked as I saw Darling bounce out of the water.

She ran around in circles for a moment before falling over.

"Ooooo, I made myself all dizzy!" She screamed and leaped back up, pouncing on Akane.

The touch of the strange girl or maybe just the icy water brought Akane out of her trance.

"What's going on? Who is this? Where's Dez?"

She seemed as lost as I was.

I picked up the tiny squiggly girl and helped Akane up. With her leaning on one shoulder and Darling screaming and pounding on my back, travel back to the campsite was slow.

By the time we got back the sun had set, the icy water had seeped into our bones and we were miserable. Darling had thankfully passed out, which made life just that bit easier.

I laid her on the ground carefully and started making a fire.

Akane watched the girl and tired to wake her to no avail.

The flames rose and I started to heat water. The magic shield around the clearing had made us warmer but I wanted to be a guy again.

I picked up the steaming water and started to pour it over my head, when the sleeping Darling kicked me causing most of the water to fall on her…make that him.

It was Devin.

Now I was completely lost. Half of expected to wake up; that I was just having another completely whack dream.

Akane's eyes grew. She looked at him curiously and poked him with a toe.

I watched him sleep on, sitting in a puddle of warm water and he became… Dez?

Not the female Dez, but the male half.

Starring longer Dez male became Dez female.

I jumped up and took a few steps back.

What the shit fuck hell?

Akane was also alarmed but with her ankle could only scoot backwards a bit.

Eventually she began to stir. She got up, rubbed her eyes and looked at herself then to Akane and myself curiously.

"What's up guys?" she smiled and look between us again.

"Um… Dez…"

She leapt up and looked at the sky.

"Not now! We must go after dinner! Where did the time go? Any who, we got a few hard days of travel left and then we will be at the council. We have used this land to the fullest and it is time to move on!"

She gathered the food that I found and sat next to Akane as they started to prepare it.

I wandered around the camp gathering random bags and blankets gathering them close together and packed nicer.

I watched Akane and Dez laugh at something, again. I wanted to know what they joked about. I was jealous of how close Dez had gotten so quickly. I almost wondered if Akane and I would have been like that if I showed up as a guy, or was always a girl.

I sighed and sat down next to the tree, running my hand over the smooth white bark. The knots and scars of age were few and far between. I wondered how old the tree was, how long the Amazons treasured it, how long it would last. I thought backs to my dream of the golden tree with white petals. They looked so similar, yet something was different and I couldn't place my finger on it. It became unnerving to try to dig deeper into it.

Would Akane want to become fully invested in the Amazon village? Would she stay there, with Dez and "her" people? It scared me to think that there could be any answer other than no.

My hand stopped for a moment and I swore I could feel a pulse under the bark, slow and each beat far apart, but it was there. Maybe the tree was something greater than I ever could imagine.

"Ranma! Dinner!" I looked up to a waving Dez and smiling Akane. I rubbed the tree quickly for good luck, said a quick prayer and joined them for our last meal in the magical clearing.

We chatted and laughed, Akane and I telling Dez of our adventures in Nermia; Dez talked about growing up as an Amazon. The pressure to be the best. Once again I felt this overwhelming pain coming from her; the secrets she held weighed heavily on her soul and seeped into her aura.

She was always smiling, always quick to laugh but sometimes it seemed fake.

We finished our meals, packed up the rest of our belongings and were on our way.

We didn't talk for the first few hours of the night. The moon was full and kept the path ahead of us easy to see. Akane found a big sturdy stick and leaned against it while I carried her bag.

"Bet you'd rather carry her, eh?" Dez said winking to me. Akane and I, of course, both blushed and denied it quietly.

After a few hours of hard marching, with few short water breaks the sun began to rise and the vegetation grew sparser.

The land became rocky and we had to take more breaks due to the rising elevation and shifting ground cover.

We found a small cave and camped there for the night. Talking was short and we only said what we needed to. No wasted words here. Maybe it was the intense aura radiating from Akane or the almost fretful one from Dez.

It was that night as I laid next to the fire I realized that this area looked much like the dreamscape we were in together.

Much like the place where Mariko died; was murdered.

I fell into a restless sleep and while I almost hoped for a dream from the Fighting Goddess, it never came and I woke up more exhausted than I had ever felt before. Even after years of training with Pop and getting a scant four hours of sleep in three days, I could deal with physical exhaustion. This mental, emotional one seemed to weigh on my soul.

We stopped moving up and followed a fairly straight and even path for the next day. Again, breaks were short and talking was nonexistent.

When it started to rain we ducked for cover under a ledge and let it pass.

Now that we all knew who Dez could be, even she was wary of the rain. By the time the rain stopped it was too dark to keep going. Akane's ankle had healed drastically and we covered more ground every day. We deserved to rest.

Either the somber mood was driving everyone crazy or the rain washed enough of it away to allow laughter and chatter that night.

While I could still feel the intensity and dread waiting for us, it was lightened and a much needed rest of my mind.

That night, sleep was easy and the dreams came back.

_I was in a tea room this time, up in the mountains, connected to a small temple. The monk was kind and showed me to the room, severing me tea and mooncakes. Jingu Kogo showed up soon after and sat across from me on the floor. Her swords where missing and her kimono less elaborate but still twisting with shapes and colors. Her normally following long hair was held up with silver chopsticks and her purple eyes seemed dim and distant._

_She just sat with me and drank tea. The silence was unbearable but I just knew I had to wait for her to speak._

"_Can you feel it?" The silence; finally broken. _

_I instantly knew what she meant. The dread and unease, the almost darkening pull on my soul. _

"_It's her."_

_I didn't have to ask. Haru. The one Akane had to kill. _

_Those dark evil eyes flashed in my mind for a second, turning my blood to ice._

_I tried to shake it off, but unable to I downed the rest of my tea and felt some peace and warmth return to me._

"_Ranma, Akane will need you now more than ever. The final battle is approaching and Dez is almost done with her part of this. It will fall on you to make sure Akane does what she has to."_

"_But why her? I know it's her mother and her duty as an Amazon, but she's so pure and sweet and I just can't see her being able to handle that she took a life."_

_She smiled softly and reach across the table resting her cool palm on my cheek._

"_Your love is so strong. There's more to it though. Haru can only be killed by someone who shares blood with her and knows how to love. Akane is that person. The man who the Sun Talker had Haru with was Mariko's brother, by blood. They didn't know it, very few do. Now you do as well. Everything will make sense in good time." Her voice became rushed and her eyes panicked. _

_Seeing panic on the face of a Goddess does not bode well in one._

"_You are drawing closer to the Sun Talker's realm. The sun rises earlier here and I can only see you when the moon is out. Gods speed, young warrior. And never forget love."_

_And she was gone. The monk returned and ushered me outside as the temple and tea house warped before vanishing._

I woke with a start, the sun already high in the sky.

Dez and Akane were already up and packing everything between bites of some power bars we brought with us.

"Did I sleep late? What time is it?" I stood quickly wrapping my bed roll and packing my meager items away.

Dez looked at the sky then back to me. "It's eight in the morning. We are just drawing closer."

I looked up at the sun, shielding my eyes. Eight? The sun looked like it was at least noon already.

Sighing I finished my snack and my packing and we joined outside the ledge we stayed under and went on our way.

Finally the path started to head downwards again and the air grew thick and full of oxygen again. I breathed deeply as the rocky terrain became lush grasslands.

After a few more hours walk, smoke rose in the distance and village life: voices, children laughing, and sparring could be heard.

Dez'z face broke out in a smile and she started running, waving to women working on the farmlands outside the village as it came into view.

"DEZ!" there was a loud shout and the village stopped what they were doing and started moving towards us.

There was a flurry of people with Greek, Chinese, Japanese, Amazonian and a few I didn't know, being shouted out with excitement and glee.

Akane and I stood back watching it all take place when Cologne and three other women came out of the largest hut to our right.

The crowd parted and Dez stepped forward, her face now stern and serious. They all took a turn saying a few words and drawing down the middle of their face with their middle finger. From hair line to the tip of their chins.

Smiles broke out among them and they all started laughing and hugging.

Their voices were soft and Akane and I were beckoned forward.

A Japanese woman, maybe a bit older than my mom, with short black hair and hazel eyes stepped closer to us and cupped my face in her hands and then Akane's.

"You look so much like your mothers. I am Hoshi, Queen of the Japanese Amazons, welcome home."

She stepped back smiling, tears in her eyes.

Each woman then stepped forward and introduced herself and where they were from.

A woman close to Dez's age with wavy strawberry blond hair and neon green eyes introduced herself as Aren, Queen of the Irish Amazons.

Licia was next. Queen of the Brazilian Amazons was tall and curvy. Her chocolate brown hair went to her waist and she has unusual pale blue eyes.

And of course was Cologne of the Chinese.

I expected there to be more queens or at least a Greek one since Dez was here.

The queens went back to their hut with Dez, saying they had business to attend. The village went back to doing their work and scattered.

Amazons from the countries the queens were from wandered about the village chatting and doing various jobs. Some sat in the sun sewing clothes, the elders in chairs the younger ones on mats on the ground.

For the most part everyone spoke in their native tongue, but there were many groups that had Amazons from all over the world and Amazonian was also abundant.

Some women returned to the fields, others went to the center of town where many were sparring and training with weapons.

I saw Mùsī near the center laughing with a blushing blond. Probably one of the Irish Amazons.

I saw a few more men, mostly Japanese and Chinese wandering around, caring for the toddlers, laughing and making weapons.

We continued walking through the village smiling to the residents.

Akane looked at peace. She smiled brighter than I had ever seen her and she talked to random people asking what they were working on.

We kept walking till we seemed to reach the end of the village. In the distance what appeared to be a cemetery was covered in a fine mist.

Akane froze.

She started walking towards it when Dez showed up out of nowhere and stopped her.

"Wait. Let's eat and relax. We'll go down there after dinner." She smiled sadly and we returned to the village center where a huge feast was set up. I had no clue how they cooked all the food or prepared it so quickly but it was there. The queens sat in the front and we all sat down at the wooden tables waiting for a sign to let us know we could eat.

Hoshi stood up and held her arms wide open, a large smile on her face. "Before we start, I would just like to say how grateful we are that we are here together. That we have this bounty of food thanks to the good weather and fine farmers of the village." A few chuckles came from the around the table. "We are in hard times, but things are about to change. I would also like to quickly introduce you to the girl who has returned to us. Akane." Akane stood up next to me, her eyes steeled and staring straight ahead. "Akane is the third daughter of Mariko. She never knew us but many of you knew her mother, please treat her with warmth and love. Now, enough of these silly platitudes. Let's eat!"

Hoshi sat as did Akane who people threw warm glances to.

We began to eat some of the best food I had ever had.

I was not sure what kind of meat it was, but it was spiced and cooked perfectly. Fresh fruits and vegetables were in bowls all around the tables along with cheeses and fresh baked breads.

The mood was light, playful, and happy.

Akane got into a conversation with some other Amazons about traveling and visiting different Amazon villages, seeing the world, learning by experiencing and not from books.

Many Amazons lived in the cities and larger towns, but spent summers here with their grandparents and others. They often had guests from other countries and many would get together to travel.

My fear of Akane leaving grew again, making me nervous and sweaty.

I ate my meal quietly taking it all in.

The faces, so different to what I was used to. The languages, some I could understand a few words others were as alien as the Amazon one.

The sun set quickly and the moon was high in the sky, that with the several torched lit around us gave a warm and welcoming feel.

Dez came by a little while afterwards and tapped both of us. We nodded, excused ourselves from the table and followed her down to the graveyard.

The air was cool and got colder moving away from the feast. Laughter and chatter could be heard behind us until it faded into a light din and the light of the fires seemed far off.

We walked through the gates and down the dirt path passing the stone markers in the ground.

I felt a calmness here, a peace much like the clearing with the white tree.

We stopped at a marker made of a white stone. Stark letters spelled MARIKO Loved by All and a crescent moon under it.

Akane fell to her knees and cried.

She stopped suddenly.

"Wait, if my mother is buried here, what about her grave at home?"

Dez looked pained and sighed.

"She was an Amazon, she asked to be built here, but your father asked for a maker closer to home and we complied. The grave there is empty. She has always been here."

Akane nodded and smiled slightly.

"I would like a moment alone."

Dez and I nodded and started walking away, when we were almost out of ear shot I heard Akane.

"Hi mom. I'm home."

AN:

YAY! Another chapter up! And so soon! I hope you like it, please read and review!

I will start working on the next chapter as soon as this is posted. Based on how my writing is going, the length of the chapters and how the story changes itself the story will be a few chapters shorter though I hope much more intense.

In my outlines, Akane was a mess after being in the dream world and finding out what she had to do and about her mother's death. Akane though, took me by surprise and became someone much stronger and I honestly like her much better.

There is a strength that she has that Rumiko Takahashi never had to touch on as much because Ranma ½ is a comedy more than anything.

I hope that this is intense and thrilling, 'cause that's what I like to write and read myself.

Happy Reading!

-Dess


	6. Calm

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Ranma ½ but all others are mine!

AN: This is a weird one…

Amazons

Calm

Dez went to bed almost as soon as we got back to the village. I told her I was going to stay up and wait for Akane; she smiled sweetly and went to bed.

The feast had long died down. Most people had returned to their quarters. A few others sat at the table playing cards and chatting quietly.

Akane still wasn't back when they went to bed.

By the time the moon was high above me I decided that she would be okay and went to the quarters we had been shown earlier.

After about a week on the road I was grateful to be in a hammock.

I was growing weak. As soon as we got back I was going to take a trip, maybe with Akane, before school started again.

Again the fear set in that she wouldn't come back to Nermia; that she would stay here. Stay home.

Thankfully right before sleep took me, I heard Akane come into the room next to mine and collapse in her hammock.

The birds woke me up the next morning.

Akane wasn't in her room but I could hear her laughter outside.

The air was crisp and a light frost covered the ground.

Akane stood next to a large cauldron with several other Amazons working on some type of oatmeal by the smell of it.

I watched her as she carefully measured out each spice they were adding and added it slowly. She laughed at something one of the younger girls said and started cutting apples.

As more women awoke, they came from their huts and started to help cook or set the tables.

Quickly bowls of fruit and bread as well has pitchers of water, milks and juices covered the tables.

Smaller children awoke and came out running and screaming, excited by the frost and fog.

As the sun shone weakly through the grayed sky coverage the queens emerged from their hut and sat at the front of the table.

Akane came to sit down next to me, her usual clothes replaced by Amazon garb.

Light fitting dark blue pants, a shirt of similar color with a large badger on it and slip on shoes. Her hair seemed to have grown almost an inch or two since we started and was clipped back.

Her eyes shone and a light was on under her skin, she simply glowed.

Bowls of food started being passed down till everyone had one.

The Amazons all stood up, including Akane and said a few words of Amazonian before sitting down and eating.

I sat there stunned for a moment. "What was that all about?" I asked poking Akane in the side.

"We were greeting the new day. I guess you could call it a prayer…"

"…But not exactly." Someone finished.

She was a Japanese Amazon with light brown hair and dark brown eyes.

"Hi, I'm Kimia."

Akane and I both said our hellos.

"The purpose of the phrase is to bring a sense of closeness in the community. By everyone welcoming the new day, we are also welcoming each other and any events that may befall upon us. It is looking forward to the new day, because it's no longer yesterday and no matter how yesterday was today could be so much more. And the standing gets your blood moving, which aids in digestion." She smiled sweetly and then went silent gobbling down her food.

I nodded slowly and started to eat.

Akane chatted with some of the women she was cooking with and again I fell silent.

While I felt this powerful sense of community and warmth I wasn't part of it.

Maybe it was the fact that mom left before I was born. I wondered if I was a girl if I would have been raised here instead of wandering with pop.

But that was a "what if" I wasn't sure I wanted to know about.

Slowly everyone finished their breakfast and a few of the younger girls, early teen years, came around and collected everyone's dishes, giggling as they walked towards a path that I could only assume lead to a river or stream.

The queens stood and beckoned Akane and myself.

We got up and followed them, with Dez into the queens' chambers.

It was dark and dank, the walls covered in weapons.

The queens sat in a semi circle of thrones and asked us to sit before them.

Dez stood off to the side of the queens and kept her head bowed.

Hoshi started, "I am sure you both know why you are here. I am also sure you have questions. But first we think it is fair if you know about Dez here."

"Dez has a very interesting, curse you could say." Aren began, "But it is also just the way she was born."

"A great many tribes wash their children in a spring of drowned boy. Not all of course, Queen Hoshi's and Queen Kě Lún's tribes do not."

I raised a hand, "Who's Kě Lún?"

The Old Ghoul cackled, "That's me sonny boy. You're terrible accent always butchers our names."

"Oooh, right like Mùsī."

"And of course my great granddaughter Shān Pú."

"Glad we are having such a lively discussion here. May I continue?" Aren asked. She looked slightly miffed but a smile was hidden beneath it.

"Of course."

Aren rolled her eyes at the Chinese queen and continued, "Now Dez, step forward dear child, we're not going to kill you, was born with MPD. Multiple-Personalities Disorder. We think there might have been some witch craft involved with that as well before she was born, but that's not important right now. When she was bathed in the Spring of Drowned Boy as a baby it somehow reacted with her condition and gave each personality a physical form. This is the first case known and we are going to look further into it. But we thought you had the right to know why traveling with her might have been a bit hectic."

Kě Lún then spoke. "This is why I was leaving so often at random times. I was sending messages back and forth with the queens here. We already had a feeling there was something amidst but didn't know for sure. I can tell you, testing it was very…"

The queens all looked to each other and Dez looked down, slightly embarrassed.

"…Interesting!" Licia offered.

The queens all nodded. "Yes, interesting."

They all chuckled slightly and Dez looked even more uncomfortable.

I raised my hand slightly and Hoshi nodded to me.

"Why was Devin so into Akane and she never seemed to care?"

Dez blushed neon red and looked like she wanted to disappear.

Hoshi raised an eyebrow and looked to Dez. The other queen's eyes narrowed slightly and shot daggers at the purple eyed Amazon.

She seemed to shrink under their scrutiny and closed her eyes.

"This is new information. Can you fill us in?"

I took a deep breath; this was going to embarrass Dez and Akane.

"The first time I saw Devin was early in the trip. We had just made it to the first training grounds and Dez had stormed off earlier. I woke up and Devin was asleep by the fire pit. Akane came out, we tried to wake him up and he just started kissing her…" I scratched my head sheepishly and looked to the bright red Akane at my side and the very bright red Dez in front of me.

"I threw him off, he walked away and ummm… yeah" I turned red thinking of the kiss Akane and I shared. The way her hands pressed into my back, her strong leg around me, her center pressed into me…

I shook my head and folded my leg trying to hide my arousal.

The queens looked to each other and back to Dez.

"This is new information and will be dealt with after we send you two on your way. Dez, you are excused, unless you have anything else to share with us."

"No ma'am." She bowed to the queens and nodded to us, leaving the hut.

Hoshi sat up straighter and looked directly at Akane, "Now then we also have grave importance to attend. Akane, I am sure you know what you must do."

Akane nodded slowly and her face twisted slightly in fear.

"There are some unusual circumstances we must tell you first. If this information is too hard for you, we understand and will find another way to deal with the problem."

Akane sat taller and determination replaced the fear in her face. "I will do whatever I can for my people." Hoshi gasped softly and a tear rolled down her face. She stood and walked to us, kneeling down and cupping Akane's face in her hands.

"Your mother would be so proud of you. We are so proud of you." She smiled again and kissed Akane's forehead softly before returning to her throne.

Akane's face stayed strong but a few tears escaped her eyes.

"Haru, the Sun-Talker, she shares blood with you. Her father is your mother's brother, your uncle. She is by blood your cousin. We are still tracing out her full lineage so we could find someone else if that would be preferable."

Akane's eyes doubled in size. "She killed my mother and my uncle? She killed her own aunt? Her own flesh and blood?" Akane shook in rage and Hoshi nodded slowly. "I will do it!" Akane stood quickly knocking her chair over. "I will avenge my mother, my uncle and put a stop to this menace. Tell me what I need to do."

The queens looked at each other in shock, almost nervous but also excited. Their champion had finally arrived.

Licia looked curiously at me but said nothing. She opened her mouth and the words almost fell from it but she closed it and nodded.

Aren spoke up, "That is all for now. Rest here a few more days, train and gain knowledge from those who are here. We still have some research of our own we must conduct as well as send a scout to trace out the path you shall take for your final match with Haru. Thank you."

The queens all nodded to us and stood up drawing the line with their fingers down their faces.

We stood and did the same and left the hut.

The sun was high and bright in the sky. The frost and fog had melted but there was still a slight chill in the air.

Akane looked to me and smiled waving to Kimia, joining her and a few other Amazons.

I watched as they laughed and joked around. Akane's face became serious and she started talking rapidly, waving her hands about. An older Amazon nodded and they walked into a hut coming out with staffs and moved to the center of the village.

The table had long been removed and a mat sat in the circle where a few other groups practiced katas and moves.

As Akane and the other woman walked to the center those on the mat moved off and formed a circle around them.

I walked closer to the circle and watched Akane fight.

Their staffs hit in loud clashes as they circled each other.

Akane had a smile on her face as they fought. Her movements were fluid and her strikes were strong. She was doing incredibly well.

Then the other Amazon started to press harder. She knocked Akane's feet from under her and helped her up but the playfulness on Akane's face was gone. Her anger took over and her fighting slid dramatically. Her movements were rough and shaky, her hits were weak. Dez stepped through the cheering crowd and smiled straight at Akane and mouthed something.

Akane's face relaxed and the playfully fire returned to her eyes.

She was magnificent.

Licia stepped next to me.

"She's pretty amazing isn't she?"

I merely nodded, not taking my eyes off Akane as she perfected the flip she failed last time and knocked the other woman's weapon from her hand.

The Amazons clapped and cheered as Akane and her partner clapped hands and hugged.

"You have dreams of her, don't you?"

My eyes widened. Licia laughed and grabbed my arm.

"Let's walk."

We moved into the fields and Licia waved to the women and men working on the fields.

"Take a break! It's midday, go rest for awhile." They nodded and started walking back to the town.

Licia stopped suddenly and sat in the field, the wind ripping through the crops and her wavy brown hair.

"I first saw Alemoa when my tribe was in trouble. I was maybe eleven or twelve. Jurupari, a jungle devil of sorts was running rampant in our forests. Alemoa is a ghost or goddess you could say. A blonde woman with pale blue eyes who wore a cloak of shifting colors and twin daggers attached to her thighs. She came to me in my dreams and helped me through the whole ordeal. It's because of my eyes I am queen. I'm supposed to be a descendent of her or something. She told you Haru and Akane are related, didn't she?"

I nodded; everything she said sinking into me. Descendent. Queen. Had my mother stayed with the Amazons, had I been born a girl, would I be the next queen of the Amazons? Or would it be Akane? Every time I learned something new, more questions arose from it.

"Not Alemoa. Jingu Kogo. She's the Japanese Goddess of Fighting or something. But it's been happening since we got on Amazon land."

"Well along with figuring out everything from what Dez has brought to us, I'll look into your ancestry." She placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. "It's scary, isn't it? The goddess talking to you."

I nodded.

She looked at me and her pale eyes bore into me. What was with the freaky eyed Amazons?

I spilled everything. How much I almost resented Dez for being everything I couldn't be to Akane. How much I loved Akane. How this whole mission made almost no sense still and everything was just making me feel like I had no power over myself any more. The spirit animals, the Sun-Talker, the old tree, how everything was changing so quickly. My worries that Akane would stay, my mother, her mother, being an Amazon.

I lifted my sleeve and showed her the crescent moon scar.

Her eyes widened.

"But… you're a male… no male even after initiation has the scar. None! We have to tell this to the queens, we have to research this more!" she leapt up in excitement and looked down at me on the ground hugging my knees.

"I can't. Not yet. Maybe after we get back from the mission. But Akane feels special and needed right now; I don't need to rain on that by being the first male born Amazon or whatever. She feels at home here, I feel nothing. My home is where she is…"

Licia calmed down and focused on my face. "Okay," She nodded "when you get back. This is going to be big though, be prepared for that. And your home is where your heart is and if you love her, you should tell her. Holding it in won't do either of you any good. We should head back; I'm sure the other queens have noticed me missing for the last ten minutes and are a bit worried." She smiled at me and got up returning to the village.

I sat for a moment longer till the field workers started to return from their break. I said hi when spoken to but was basically in my own little world.

Returning to the bustling village, I instantly spotted Akane doing a kata with several other Amazons. I watched them for a moment and joined in. It was the same five moves over and over but speeding up with each reputation.

Left foot forward and left arm block, right leg forward and right hand punch, spin on right foot with left leg out in roundhouse, step back with crossed arm block above head and finish with crossed arms straight out.

We went faster and faster moving in blurred unison. Slowly the younger girls started stepping out of it and a sensei would tap people out who were getting wobbly on their feet with the speed.

A month ago, Akane would not have been able to handle it. She was more brute strength and less speedy grace. Now she held her own for awhile.

When it was down the last five or six of us a circle of women formed around us and all had a slightly evil grin on their faces. They looked to each other, nodded and threw icy cold buckets of water on us.

I instantly went female and wobbled a second but regained my balance, allowing my body to shift lower to the ground.

Akane didn't flinch.

Two youngish Amazons switched to male and fell over and two older ones switched to male and kept right on going, picking up the pace.

Akane tried to keep up but Dez tagged her out. She wasn't unsteady quite yet but after her ankle injury it was probably best not to test it.

One of the last Amazons stopped, drenched in sweat and asked for a drink of water muttering, "I'm getting to old for this," with a chuckle.

The last woman, well man, caught my eye and started moving insanely fast. Even with the speed training with Ryouga and Kě Lún, I finally lost my balance and fell on my tiny red head ass.

She laughed and sped up again before stopping.

She flopped down next to me, "That was pretty good new kid. Most can't get to that speed with such balance."

The watching Amazons cheered and brought us chilled water to sip.

Akane, drenched in sweat and covered in dust and dirt, stood off to the side laughing with some of the Amazons who lasted about as long as her. I got up moving towards them, hoping I could join in the conversation.

She was speaking in near fluent Amazonia.

Some words she still seemed to stumble on. One girl tried to help, she was the only other Japanese Amazon, the other three where something else.

Most of the crowd wandered off to find a bite to eat or bathe. I caught Akane's eye and nodded off to the forest path asking if she would join me.

She said her goodbyes and followed a few steps after me.

We walked in silence till the leaf canopy covered us.

"So when did you pick up the language?"

"I know just bits and pieces still. I like to listen mostly; I seem to know most of the words but need to hear them first. So far I just parrot back to them hoping that I have the pronunciation right."

"Oh."

"Yup."

We walked in silence for a few more minutes and came to a small brook running through the trees.

She sat down and splashed water in her face and drank deeply from it before soaking her feet.

I sat next to her and our fingers slightly touched. I looked at her and bit my lip moving my hand a bit closer to hers in the grass.

She smiled that sweet smile of hers and kicked her feet in the slow moving clear water.

It made me think of when I went to Rowgonzawa after her when she went to fight monsters. The walk back. Holding hands with her after I thought I lost her forever. Then the deal with _Saffron._That time I thought for sure I lost her. And even after that failed wedding she was still by my side.

I opened my mouth, ready to spill my guts to her when she spoke.

"Ranma, after we deal with Haru, I think I'm going to stay here awhile."

My mouth shut with an audible snap.

She wasn't coming home this time.

"Even if I ask you to come home with me?"

I turned to her and her face looked at me with such pain and confusion.

She pulled her hand away and got up turning back towards the village.

"This is my home."

I watched her leave in silence.

I didn't return to the village till almost an hour later. The heat of the sun was fading away and the village was preparing dinner.

I saw Dez standing with some other Greek Amazons and walked towards them.

They shut up as soon as I was a foot away even though I couldn't under a word of their language.

"Dez, ya know where Akane is?"

She shook her head.

"I think she went with the hunting party." One of the girls quipped up. She smiled reassuringly and they resumed their conversation.

My shoulders sunk and I walked through the village slowly kicking at the dirt.

I stopped at the edge and sat down in the grass watching the fields sway in the wind.

There was a loud caw and a falcon swopped down next to me.

I looked at the bird curiously. Could my spirit animal follow me to this world?

The bird looked curiously back at me and hopped over.

"Enaka?"

She chirped and sat close to me.

I smiled sadly and gently petted the spotted bird-of-prey.

She nuzzled into my hand and made weird little happy noises.

"How can I tell her when she looks at me like that? I get why she doesn't trust me when I say something kind. When I say something that has weight to it. Kami knows I've lied before. I wish she could just understand."

Enaka kept nuzzling my hand, encouraging me it seemed before stiffening and leaping into the air.

I stood up; the air felt different, something wasn't right and watched my falcon soar high into the air before diving back to me.

She landed on my shoulder and started pulling with her talons flapping her wings urgently.

I got the message pretty quickly.

She started flying at eye level and we raced through the fields back towards the mountains.

We curved off a different path then where we had first came from heading east towards the ocean.

The air grew thick with fear and hatred and I ran faster. My legs burned and one of my shoes split on the rocky terrain leaving my toes exposed to be bashed and bruised.

There was a loud shriek and I ran as fast as I could.

As we rounded a corner I found the hunting party.

Two men were down, one possibly dead, a crying screaming girl and Akane standing over them with a large rock in her hand.

"Akane!" I shouted.

She whipped her head around but her eyes softened when she saw it was me.

"Ranma! We need help! We were attacked; I'm not sure what happened."

The shriek must have been heard back at the village and within minutes there was all the queens, Dez and twenty some other Amazons.

The two men were taken away quickly and the shrieking girl had been quieted and was being talked to by Hoshi and Aren.

Dez came over to us and gave Akane a quick hug.

"Hey, everything's okay now. We're here. We're always here."

Akane slowly tried to explain what happened.

"We were in the forest and there was a force field or something. We couldn't walk any further. So we were going to double back and try a different route. Ami was in front. Some thing attacked her. It was like a shadow of light. Her eyes turned pitch black and she started running. Carly chased her and we all followed. We got here and Ami was running in circles foaming at the mouth screaming that her mistress would soon rise again. Carly tried to stop her and Ami attacked her. Yumo pulled Ami off her and she killed him. Drove her hand right into his throat. He crumpled like a doll. Yuso pushed Ami to the ground but she pushed him off and he smacked his head pretty hard. Then she ran off. Her teeth…" Akane shuddered and brushed her lips with her fingers slightly, "her teeth looked like they were covered in blood. A thick black-red blood. Then Ami started screaming. The light shadow was back, that's when I picked up the rock and Ranma showed up."

Dez's eyes were huge, her mouth was open and she looked to the queens who had joined our sides.

"What? What does it mean?" I asked exasperated.

Dez sighed and closed her eyes. "It means she's struck first. Haru's made the first move. We don't have much time."

I looked to the queens and they all nodded looking to Akane.

Akane stood straight and tall; a steely gaze to her eyes.

"I'm ready."

AN: Well not what I was expecting. AGAIN! I admit it's kinda nerve wracking when you have it allll planned out and then the story just changes on you. Kinda awesome, kinda nerve wracking. So what was supposed to happen this chapter and will happen next chapter is the last meeting with the queens on how they can stop Haru and some traveling, just Ranma & Akane 3

Some emotions and then the big fight the chapter afterwards. Looks like that's all changing as well though.

I hope you enjoyed the latest installment and please review! It makes me happy!

Happy Reading!

-Dess


	7. Amazons Updatenote

To all Amazons fans: Like my profile said I am hiatus. But I ended back up on the site and rerereread through every comment from every story and I feel that you, you wonderful people, are my most passionate fans and Amazons is definitely my favorite story to write. Therefore I am going to try to finish the ENTIRE story. I saw that many felt the chapters up thus far are rushed, and they are. I should have more time working with Akane and Dez( she's a character I've had in mind for years and I want people to like her and prove she's not just another Mary-Sure) and Ranma. It's Akane's story but from him eyes, he does need to be in it more. There are flaws throughout the chapters. The point being, I need to finish this story. I need to get it all out. It is all outlined and I know exactly where every character is going (or where I think they are. They have a habit of surprising me and I hope they surprise you too!). So the plan is to write the rest of it, leave up what I have and then rewrite the whole story. It might take awhile, I'm slammed with papers and projects, but I promise to start writing it again, tonight. After it is completely written and updated, I will post it all as a new story and post something on this story so you get an update. I will write this story for me, but I want you to enjoy it. So, if there is anything you'd like to see, or if there's a question I still haven't answered speak now! Sorry if this is full of typos, I'm typing this on my iPod in class... :3 Please, please forgiven me and let me know what ya think. Much love and happy reading, Dess-Chan


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